Bangor High sophomore places first in debate

Bangor High School sophomore Jennifer Malmstrom took first place in the junior varsity division in a debate tournament Saturday.

More than 100 students from 13 high schools in Maine turned out for the annual Bangor High School Invitational Debate Tournament. The competition was in two basic categories: policy debating, where two pairs of students argued a national policy question, and the Lincoln-Douglas Debate, which involves individuals and a more philosophical approach to debating.

The policy competition was in novice and varsity categories while the Lincoln-Douglas format had an additional junior varsity category.

In addition to Malmstrom’s first-place finish, junior Bethany Riedel and freshman David Cote placed fourth and fifth respectively in the novice category of the Lincoln-Douglas Debate. Senior Jon Ferreira came in sixth in the varsity level in the same debating category.

High schools participating in the tournament were John Bapst, Brewer, Old Town, Brunswick, Cape Elizabeth, Deering, Gorham, Lewiston, Oxford Hills, Scarborough, Yarmouth and Noble in Berwick.