Congratulations to Alexander Goldfine (Class of 2027), the first state-qualifying debater from Mahtomedi in the category of Congressional Debate. In the Minnesota State High School League Congressional Debate category, students mimic the legislative branch of government by creating bills they will advocate for in a chamber of allies and opponents. The students are given the bills in advance, but they do not know what side they will present or what arguments will be discussed. The students only receive one week to research upwards of 15 bills. The 2025 topics included abolishing mandatory sentencing minimums, establishing a universal basic income, and modifying the capital gains tax.
Ms. Liz Haen is the advisor for our Debate team and shared this about Alex’s accomplishments, “This year, Alex has emerged as a leader on the team. Even though it's only his second year in debate, he has spearheaded our team's research efforts for every tournament. He also searches for multiple perspectives, which is unique for many students. While it's easy to accept the most obvious response to a topic, Alex always looks at a bill with a highly critical eye and creates arguments that are creative and thoughtful.”
Alex shared this about being on the Debate team, “Debate helps me develop research skills, critical thinking skills, speaking skills, and overall, debate helps me in all areas of school and lets me do what I love most: arguing.”