Altamont School debaters Parker Denson and Johnny Stumpff qualified for the Tournament of Champions—one of the nation’s most challenging debate achievements. “This is something they’ve been working towards for years,” said Altamont debate coach Jim Sydnor. “It’s particularly noteworthy, as it marks the first time in over a decade that any school in Alabama has qualified a team in the policy debate division.” The pair qualified during the Tournament of Champions Digital series in February, which also saw Altamont students Serena Blutter and Jackson Shah finish among the top performers in the JV division for Lincoln-Douglas debate. Serena was 2nd place overall out of preliminary rounds. Serena and Johnny have qualified for the 2024 National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) Tournament. The pair will compete in the policy category at Nationals in Des Moines, Iowa, in June, debating fiscal redistribution policy in the United States alongside 6,700 debaters from 1,500 schools. The latest success for Altamont’s Debate Team follows student Will McLain’s victory and First Speaker honor in the Middle School Lincoln-Douglas division of the 39th Annual Stanford University Debate Invitational earlier in February.