(COVINGTON, La)  Beginning this year, Saint Paul’s School will have a Debate Club for the first time in decades. Formed by sophomore Hal Fox, the debate team will compete in the National Catholic Forensic League, which includes high schools across the United States and Canada, and will be moderated by Spanish I teacher Christina Zapata, Religion I teacher Christopher Sturgill, and AP Writing and Creative Writing teacher Robert Heap.

Fox, whose mother coaches the speech and debate team at Christ Episcopal School (the only debate team on the North Shore prior to the creation of the Saint Paul’s team), says he’s always loved argumentation. According to Fox, being exposed to the sport of debate throughout the last few years of his life has made him want to start the club at Saint Paul’s.

“I’ve been seeing my mom coach [Christ Episcopal’s debate team] and seeing all my friends who stayed at Christ Episcopal do it,” Fox said, “And I was thinking enough is enough, I want to start one here.”

While the work of actually starting the Debate Club happened this school year, Fox had been kicking around the idea of starting it with Sturgill, his freshman-year religion teacher, towards the end of last year.

“We had a lot of in-class debates,” Fox said. “I thought this might be something he’d be interested in pursuing further.”

Fox is confident that this new Debate Club, which garnered over thirty signatures at Get Involved Day, will not follow in the footsteps of past Saint Paul’s Debate Clubs, most of which never got off the ground.

“Every single time (starting a debate club) had not worked out,” Fox said. “Not enough kids, or something or other came up, and it never happened. So, I was thinking this is not gonna be like those times.”

Since entering the Catholic Forensic League, Saint Paul’s has been welcomed with open arms. Recently, the debate team at Isadore Newman School in New Orleans offered to come to the Northshore and practice with Saint Paul’s.

“(Isadore Newman is) excited,” moderator of the Saint Paul’s debate club Zapata said. “They’re sending me emails, and they are very encouraging. So, I feel very supported.”

Debate is a year-round activity, and any interested Saint Paul’s student can join at any time throughout the year. Practices are after school on Mondays and Thursdays in Sturgill’s classroom (Benilde Hall, Room 124), and students should talk to Fox, Sturgill, Zapata, or Heap to sign up.