On Tuesday, March 10, 2026, the 17th Annual Moore County 2026 Middle School Debate Competition took place at Sandhills Community College. This annual event is sponsored by the English-Speaking Union – Sandhills Branch and The Rotary Club of Pinehurst. 

This year’s winners,  from West Pine Middle School, Waylon Ziemba and Landon Graham, shown below with West Pine Middle School Debate Coach, Melissa Sheppard, Clem Jowett, Past President, English Speaking Union(far left) and Fran Grandinetti, Past President, Rotary Club of Pinehurst(far right), defeated a field of 37 debate teams from the county’s public and private middle schools.  The topic debated was “Resolved: “The U.S. Federal Government should ban single use plastics.”

Adult volunteers spend the day evaluating the debate team members’ research and public speaking skills. Judges are recruited from the English- Speaking Union; The Rotary Clubs of Pinehurst and Southern Pines; the League of Women Voters; the Sandhills Women’s Exchange; and, other local nonprofit organizations. 

This year 76 students, representing 10 public and private Moore County middle schools, participated in this day long competition.  The winners are awarded a trophy and a scholarship to the Pinecrest High School summer debate camp held each year in July.  In addition, they, their parents and debate coach will be introduced to ESU members at its May meeting. 

This premier educational event provides Moore County middle school students the opportunity to develop research and communication skills as well as confidence and self-esteem as they prepare, practice and perform their arguments using the public forum debate process.