Inside the Bronx Science Speech & Debate Team

A behind-the-scenes look at how one of the nation’s largest high school teams prepares for success.

Claire Elkin, Staff Writer • March 6, 2025

Congress Captain Tara Tomic ’25 begins practice by regrouping the team on what is on the debating docket for the upcoming Xavier Tournament this weekend.

With its team of over three hundred students, the Bronx Science Speech and Debate team is integral to our school’s identity and accomplishments. The team is one of the largest and most successful high school programs in the nation, and since its inception in 1969, has grown a reputation of competitive success at the country’s most renowned national tournaments. At the heart of these achievements is the glowing reputation of teammates that exude commitment, hard work, and community.

All of the five squads that make up the Speech and Debate Team meet twice a week, where members hone in on their speaking skills, current events knowledge, and round presence. The team prides itself on being student-run, with the most committed team members acting as Novice Directors and Captains for their respective squads. Though there are no cuts or tryouts to join the team, student leaders successfully strive to shape a team of passionate winners. The photos here depict photos of weekly squad practices, leadership meetings, and more, highlighting the pronounced amount of work that goes into making the team so great.

About the Contributors

Claire Elkin, Staff Reporter

Claire Elkin serves as an Editor-in-Chief of The Science Survey, where she not only oversees the editing and writing of articles but also brings her passion for storytelling, arts, and culture to the forefront of her work. A dedicated reader and lover of music, Claire uses journalism as a platform to amplify diverse voices and provide her audience with insightful, in-depth coverage. Her favorite stories delve into the lives and experiences of various communities, aiming to create immersive narratives that help readers connect with worlds beyond their own. Looking ahead, Claire hopes to pursue journalism in her academic career, especially within the field of linguistics, where she can deepen her understanding of language and its impact on shaping compelling narratives. Claire also sees photojournalism as a unique companion to written storytelling, providing a raw, visual dimension that words alone sometimes cannot capture. For her, photos can convey emotions, contexts, and moments with a depth that complements and often enhances traditional reporting. Beyond her journalistic work with The Science Survey, Claire is involved in research in developmental and clinical psychology, exploring how these fields intersect with communication and storytelling in meaningful ways.

Leah Jiang, Staff Reporter

Leah Jiang is a Groups Section Editor and a Graphic Designer for ‘The Observatory’ yearbook. She is also a Staff Reporter on ‘The Science Survey’. She finds journalistic writing to be helpful, as it not only educates and entertains people, but also tells a story through its writing and spreads awareness. She finds that photographs help a story’s writing, allowing readers to visualize scenes and allow emotions to be better conveyed through words. Outside of school, Leah likes to spend her free time playing video games, drawing, listening to music, and reading books. She plans on studying either electrical or biological engineering in college. But she hopes to be able to include her love of drawing and designing in her future career, no matter what it is.

Simone Ginsberg, Staff Reporter

Simone Ginsberg is a Copy Chief for ‘The Science Survey.’ She thoroughly enjoys composing editorial pieces and prioritizes strong rhetoric and description in her writing. However, she also appreciates the objectivity of hard news stories. Simone tends to cover a robust range of topics, although she particularly takes pleasure in writing about politics, foreign affairs, and art. She appreciates journalism that includes a plethora of unique, loaded quotes, strongly believing that quotes are one of the most effective ways to encapsulate a diverse range of perspectives while maintaining journalistic objectivity. Outside of journalism, Simone is president of the Women Business Leadership Club, a member of the Bronx Science Speech and Debate Team, and a communications coordinator at Genocide Watch; these roles have deeply influenced her writing. Beyond academics, Simone enjoys traveling, shopping, and listening to music. Although much of her future remains undecided, she aspires to study economics or business in college.

Angeline Rivera, Staff Reporter

Angeline Rivera is a News Editor for ‘The Science Survey.’ As a journalist, she loves to captivate the readers and share her knowledge and passion with other people through her writing. To her, journalism is educating others on her interests in a thoughtful and carefully put-together way, making sure to hold the attention of those reading. She believes that journalistic writing allows for the truth without bias to be stated and read, leaving an everlasting impact on people’s lives. Journalistic photography is a way for her to show others the little details of what is currently happening, even when most people don’t realize it. Much of her free time outside of school is spent making art, baking, and reading, all hobbies to which she is completely devoted. Although her future career trajectory is not completely decided, Angeline has a passion for medicine and hopes to one day become a travel nurse. Regardless of her future career, journalistic writing will have a lasting impact upon her life and continue to be one of her life-long passions.

Marley Lee-Kang, Staff Reporter

Marley Lee-Kang is a Copy Chief for ‘The Science Survey.’ Marley believes that a good journalistic piece should be able to captivate readers from beginning to end. He believes tthat the use of visual representation is equally important as writing, given that photographs can help readers to visualize the setting. Marley wishes to use writing as one of his catalysts in order to produce works of art. With the hopes of going into the field of medicine after college, Marley wishes to sharpen his writing skills in the years to come.

Cortez Pagan, Staff Reporter

Cortez Pagan is an Editorial Editor for ‘The Science Survey.’ She adores hunting for stories in journalism, tying overarching themes to seemingly mundane topics. Specifically, she is drawn to the intersection of history and psychology. Through her articles, Cortez hopes to convey the complexity of human nature and the nuances that come with every conversation. Alongside her journalism work, Cortez is the president of the Bronx Science Student Diversity Committee, president of Vivo Latino, and president of the nonprofit organization Calculators Solve Problems. She is also a member of the National Honor Society, part of the Sexual Assault Prevention Board, the Gender Equity Board, and the Girls’ Varsity Handball team. When she is not in school, Cortez loves hiking in the mountains, volunteering, journaling, and cooking. She also enjoys watching hockey and listening to all genres of music. Additionally, Cortez devotes her time to interning with various organizations such as the MET Museum, Kweller Tutoring, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and the New York Historical. In the future, Cortez plans to pursue a doctorate in psychology and/or history, hoping to give back to the community as much as she can.

Christina Kantlis, Staff Reporter

Christina Kantlis is a Spotlight Editor for ‘The Science Survey.’ In addition to writing her own journalistic articles, Christina is responsible for editing all Spotlight articles, ensuring that they maintain the standards of quality journalism. Christina was drawn to journalism by a deep passion for storytelling and a natural talent for writing. Throughout her life, she has embraced writing as a means to explore different perspectives and convey meaningful narratives. In addition to writing, Christina believes that photography plays a crucial role in storytelling. She aims to capture images that enhance understanding and evoke emotions related to the subjects she covers. Outside of school, Christina is an avid sports player, with a particular love for basketball. She has been playing for nearly a decade, competing locally and statewide. In college, Christina plans to study psychology while continuing to pursue her passion for journalism. She aspires to not only become a successful psychologist, but a dedicated journalist.

Leif Emery, Staff Reporter

Leif Emery is a News Editor for ‘The Science Survey.’ Intrigued by the objective nature of reporting, Leif believes in the power of journalism to foster awareness and civic activism on a global scale. He appreciates the diverse views that journalism brings to light and believes they are crucial for maintaining a healthy democracy and for encouraging informed participation in societal issues. As a News Editor, he writes his own articles, and routinely edits his peers’ work. He tends to focus on politics, current events, and economics but enjoys writing about anything that is captivating. Outside of journalism, Leif enjoys tennis, history, and debate. In college, Leif hopes to pursue studies in economics, philosophy, and history all of which are tightly intertwined into his journalistic articles.

Tammy Lam, Staff Reporter

Tammy Lam is a Managing Editor and Advisory Editor for ‘The Science Survey,’ part of the Editor-in-Chief Division. She believes that journalistic writing is important for enabling truths that reach audiences, so that a diversity of voices in society can be heard. She finds that journalistic photography allows one to capture the complexities of the real world while also exploring emotional depths that go beyond words in a given article. Tammy’s favorite hobbies outside of school include listening to indie music, browsing bookstores, and watching horror movies. In the future, she sees herself pursuing careers in English and sociology with the hope of finding a greater understanding of the world at large.