On Saturday, April 25, Green Level’s debate team competed at the Calvin Coolidge National Qualifier hosted at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Competing in doubles debate, several teams delivered strong performances, highlighted by freshmen Anika Bodke and Vaishvi Gandhi placing 6th overall in the tournament with a 3–1 record.
Although only the top six teams received trophies, Green Level had multiple teams finish with 3–1 records, earning honorable mentions. Sophomore Niel Pettibhotla and senior Nikhil Pettibhotla placed 9th, while sophomore debate captain Shrey Shah and freshman Jackson Farron competed as mavericks and placed 10th and 12th respectively.
For Bodke, the moment of placing was completely unexpected. “I was really shocked,” she said. “I was just trying to get my mind off the stress while we were waiting for results, and then I heard my name. I wasn’t really thinking anything, I was just surprised and really happy.”
Her and Gandhi’s tournament didn’t start perfectly. They lost their first round to the team that ultimately placed first, but quickly adjusted. After gaining momentum in the second round, they faced a particularly strong team in round three. Despite initial nerves, they were able to hold their ground. “We were kind of scared going in, but we were able to rebut all their points, so they couldn’t really extend anything,” Bodke explained.
By the final round, their confidence showed. After the debate, the judge gave immediate feedback, telling them they had dominated the round, something that reinforced how much they had improved throughout the day.
That improvement reflects a larger journey. Earlier in the season, Bodke and Gandhi were new to varsity debate and struggled in their first tournaments. This result marked a turning point for them. “In our first varsity tournament, we basically lost every round,” she said. “So being able to come this far and actually place was an amazing experience.”
Even so, Bodke still sees room for growth. Looking back, she pointed to a key mistake in their only loss. “Our last speech focused too much on their arguments instead of building up our own case, and that honestly cost us the round,” she said. “If I could redo that, I’d make sure we rebuilt our own arguments more.”
For newer debaters, Bodke emphasized patience and openness to growth. “Don’t expect to place in your first few tournaments, because it’s not that easy,” she said. “I’m actually really introverted, but debate pushes you out of your comfort zone, and you end up enjoying it a lot more than you expect.”
Overall, Green Level’s performance at the qualifier highlighted both individual success and the team’s overall depth, with multiple competitors finishing with strong records. As the team continues to grow, results like this suggest even more success ahead.
