The team formed by Julia Sierra, Emma Madrazo, Eduardo Martín, Paula Choque and Genoveva Gómez, students from Castroverde School, which won the VIII Debate League organised by the Universidad Europea del Atlántico (European University of the Atlantic, UNEATLANTICO), will represent Cantabria in the Spanish Pre-University Debate Championship, organised by the Spanish University Debate League (LEDU), a national competition that will bring together the best teams from all over the country.
Accompanied by their teacher and trainer Irene Argüello, the students stood out not only for their argumentative mastery, but also for the group cohesion and capacity for continuous improvement demonstrated throughout the competition. As they themselves pointed out, one of the key factors in their success was ‘learning from mistakes and improving from within’, incorporating both self-criticism and observation of other teams to strengthen their strategy.
Beyond the victory, the five members agree that the most valuable thing has been the learning as a team. ‘We had to coordinate, establish a common line of argument and accept each other’s opinions, even when we didn’t entirely agree,’ they say. This experience has allowed them to develop communication skills, critical thinking and a solid capacity for teamwork that will undoubtedly mark their academic and professional future.
The participation in the national championship is a mixture of excitement, illusion and nerves for the team. “It’s something we didn’t expect. We started for fun, out of curiosity, and now we are going to represent Cantabria. It’s a very pleasant surprise”, they said. Moreover, they have set themselves a clear objective: to get past the group stage, a challenge they take on with commitment and motivation.
As for the message they wanted to send to the educational community in Cantabria, the students insisted on the importance of taking advantage of every opportunity: “There are many people who don’t apply for fear or because they think it won’t do any good. We encourage everyone to try”. They also called on schools to encourage this type of activities that develop key competences beyond the traditional curriculum.
For her part, teacher Irene Argüello highlighted the pedagogical value of this type of initiative: “When you let them build their arguments from scratch, you see how they grow and feel proud of what they have achieved on their own. It is a unique opportunity to get out of their comfort zone and acquire fundamental tools for their life in society”.
The Castroverde School team is now preparing to face a high-level national league, with the hope of continuing to learn, enjoy themselves and, above all, proudly represent Cantabria.
For his part, the director of the UNEATLANTICO Debate League, Luis Eduardo Prado, adds that “it is a pleasure for the European University of the Atlantic to hold the regional debate qualifier on our campus as a prelude to the Spanish Pre-University Debate Championship, organised by LEDU. With our Pre-University Debate League, every year we promote critical thinking and soft skills in the educational community of Cantabria. We congratulate Castroverde School, champion of the UNEATLANTICO Pre-University Debate League, who will represent us in the next phase”.