Exeter, NH (April 11, 2006) – Phillips Exeter Academy students Christopher Dodge, a senior from West Newbury, MA, and Delphine d’Amora, an 11th grader from Carmel, NY, joined 70 high-school students from 10 countries for the 2006 World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships held at the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, CT, last week.

Dodge and d’Amora, who are both members of the Academy’s Daniel Webster Debate Society, qualified to join the 12-member U.S. team for the World Championship Competition through their success in debating events during this season. The Academy debate team has brought home more than 25 individual and team trophies this year.

Student competitors in the March 2006 World Debate came from the United States, Canada, Cyprus, England, Israel, South Korea, South Africa, Lithuania, Germany and Pakistan to debate in English during the five-day event. They competed in the areas of Parliamentary Extemporaneous Debating, which pits two students on one side of an issue against two students from the other; Interpretive Reading, in which individual students prepare an interpretation of a piece of literary writing; Impromptu Speaking, in which students have just two minutes to prepare to speak on their choice of three topics; and After Dinner or Persuasive Speaking, in which the students deliver original speeches. All events require logical thinking and skilled oration, and participants must also be able to think quickly, apply general knowledge and see through their opponents’ logical fallacies.

Dodge, who came in 27th overall, was one of only two Americans to qualify for the finals in the Parliamentary Debate category, coming in 7th place. d’Amora placed 44th, overall.

For more information, contact Hunter Farnham at hfarnham@exeter.edu. A complete listing of upcoming events is available on the Phillips Exeter Academy public events line at (603) 777-4309 and on our website at www.exeter.edu. For directions to Phillips Exeter Academy, call (603) 777-4330.

Contact: Julie Quinn   Johanna Maranto
(603) 777-3450        (603) 777-3267
 jquinn@exeter.edu    jmaranto@exeter.edu