Pictured: CDS student Matisse Cantero will be headed to the Incubate Champs in Jacksonville, Fla. in April.

The Hershorin Schiff Community Day School Middle School Debate Team, under the guidance of teacher Michael Podolsky, recently attended and excelled during its third Incubate Debate Tournament of the school year, which was held at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Fla. Community Day School (CDS) is celebrating one particular success: seventh-grader Matisse Cantero has qualified for Incubate.Champs, which will bring the top students from the Incubate Debate regions across Florida and South Carolina to the championship in Jacksonville, Fla. in early April. Other CDS students excelled during the competition as well. Sixth-grader Ava Chapman earned her way to the semi-finals. Seventh-grader Logan Curie, sixth-grader Benny Labinger, and eighth-grader Erik Sinift were recognized with E.M. Hemingway Nobility Awards for most-improved from the first to the second rounds of the tournament; Sinift and sixth-grader David Turner both made it into the Tribunal Round for commendable performances in the preliminary rounds; and Turner’s team won its room for the Tribunal Round. During the competition, middle and high school students competed alongside each other.  Competitors are judged by panels of elected officials, members of the judiciary, civil servants, college professors, first responders, members of the armed forces, and faith-based leaders. Incubate Debate operates competitive debate regions in Florida and South Carolina that collectively host no-cost debate tournaments every school year. Students from all backgrounds come together to debate timely and timeless topics that relate to the U.S. Constitution, foreign affairs, current events and issues, and the economy. Cantero, who lives in Sarasota with his parents, older brother, three guinea pigs and two parakeets, is currently hard at work preparing for the championships. In addition to debate, the 13-year-old also enjoys playing basketball, watching anime, and expanding his adventurous palate. There will be a “last chance” qualifier tournament in Sarasota on March 9; several Community Day students will participate, in hopes of joining Cantero for the Incubate.Champs in April. To learn more about the school, visit CommunityDay.org or call 941-552-2770.

Pictured: CDS student Matisse Cantero will be headed to the Incubate Champs in Jacksonville, Fla. in April.