The teams consisted of Cyril Gorongayin and Brandy Yinug of Yap High School, Easson Eas and Gwendolyn Nakayama of Saramen Chuuk Academy, Kimo Carl and Marisa Stallings of Calvary Christian Academy, and Joshua Hadik and Neelma Skilling of Kosrae High School.
Kosrae, which argued for the proposition, won the competition and its team members will be awarded scholarships toward their college tuition.
Kosrae has now won the National Law Day debate for the past five years in a row and has won a total of 10 of the past 14 annual competitions.
Skilling and Hadik said they practiced for the debate every day for the past five weeks and had originally been selected by their high school speech class teacher to participate in the National Law Day debate as they had proven to be the best speakers in their class.
Skilling said she will be attending the College of Micronesia in the Fall of 2010, and is hoping to major in health; Hadik will be attending Northland International University in Wisconsin and is hoping to major in music.
Prior to the debates, Kasio Mida Jr., Esq., keynote speaker, appealed to the debaters to seriously consider pursuing a career in the practice of law.
Mida outlined that the timing was right for new young lawyers in the FSM because not only does the country have a dire need for more lawyers, there are scholarships available currently to assist students in their graduate degrees.
