Tip of Texas wins title, students from two nations shine at 2025 Texas Great Debate

Winning an unprecedented eighth straight Silver Cup, the Tip of Texas team made its usual strong showing at the 2025 edition of the Texas Great Debate at Austin College. But they weren’t the only ones, as four different teams won the four feature events, and the first-ever team from Monterrey (in Mexico) also received special recognition for their participation.

“Students came together to engage in deep conversations about the future of their communities,” said Tino Villarreal, co-Education Director for the event. “They researched local leaders, shared powerful stories, and were challenged to look ahead offering bold, creative vision for the future. The future is bright being led by voices like theirs.”

Mary Randers, Vice President for Institutional Enrollment at Austin College, reprised her role greeting attendees at the event’s opening ceremonies, acknowledging the longstanding partnership her liberal arts college has with NHI.

“We’ve had a commitment to NHI and to the incredible future that this program helps to build for each and every one of you,” she said.

Many participants students reported experiencing a sense of camaraderie with their competitors — and valuing the Great Debate experience for providing that for them.

“Great Debate has been amazing,” said Grecia Tarin, from the Hockaday School in Dallas and the North Texas team, at the outset of the tournament. “I’ve been having so much fun meeting a bunch of new people. Competition is getting tough and real, but we are so excited to be here.” She would go on to win in her Oratory category.

San Antonio repeated its overall second place finish from last year and won the Athenaeum Cup, while the Houston team finished third.

Transformation Awards, given to students whose growth and development was particularly notable and impressive, included:

• Austin: Amanda Ribas, Vista Ridge HS, Cedar Park, Texas
• El Paso: Carson Farris, Coronado HS, El Paso, Texas
• Houston: Felipe Ramirez, St. Thomas HS, Houston, Texas
• North Texas: Zailo Ramirez, Vines HS, Plano, Texas
• RGV: Cyrah Crow, Weslaco East HS, Weslaco, Texas
• San Antonio: Sofia Navarro, Travis Early College HS, San Antonio, Texas
• Tip of Texas: Jacobo Munguia, Saint Joseph Academy, Brownsville, Texas

The Monterrey team — first-timers traveling the farthest, and making history as the first-ever team representing Mexico at the Texas Great Debate, won the Fundamental Cup for exemplifying NHI fundamentals throughout the tournament.

Category winners included:

Cross Examination

• 1st Place: Dalinda Hernandez, Veterans Memorial Early College HS, Brownsville, Texas, and Natalia Yanez, Los Fresnos United, San Benito, Texas (Tip of Texas)
• 2nd Place: Maria Jose Guerrero, Saint Joseph Academy, Brownsville, Texas, and Galilea Martinez, Saint Joseph Academy, Brownsville, Texas (Tip of Texas)
• All-State Leader: Alex Ordonez, Westchester Academy for International Studies, Houston, Texas (Houston)
• All-State Member: Valentina Briones, Lamar High School, Houston, Texas (Houston)

Oratory

• 1st Place: Grecia Tarin, Hockaday School, Dallas, Texas (North Texas)
• 2nd Place: Marcelo Weimer, Liberal Arts and Science Academy, Austin, Texas (Austin)
• All-State: Manola Lazcano, Saint Joseph Academy, Brownsville, Texas (Tip of Texas)

Mock Trial

• 1st Place: Orlando Reyes, Coronado HS, El Paso, Texas, and Gianna Landin, Franklin HS, El Paso, Texas (El Paso)
• 2nd Place: Parket Neessen, Coronado HS, El Paso, Texas, and Jacob Llamas, Cathedral HS, El Paso, Texas (El Paso)
• All State Attorney: Miranda Machi, Saint Joseph Academy, Brownsville, Texas (Tip of Texas)
• All State Witness: Tunde Siyanbade, Saint Joseph Academy, Brownsville, Texas (Tip of Texas)

Extemporaneous Speaking

• 1st Place: Ava Abrego, Glenda Dawson HS, Pearland, Texas (Houston)
• 2nd Place: Nico Nutis, Coronado HS, El Paso, Texas (El Paso)
• All-State: Cyrah Crow, Weslaco East HS, Weslaco, Texas

Athenaeum

• 1st Place: Jacob Suarez, South Texas ISD Medical Professions, Olmito, Texas (Tip of Texas)
• 2nd Place: Adalon Montes, Incarnate Word HS, San Antonio, Texas (San Antonio)
• 3rd Place: Sophia Sanchez Bottari, Travis Early College HS, San Antonio, Texas (San Antonio)

The Texas Great Debate is made possible in part by support from the Bezos Foundation and State Farm.

Heaven Poles contributed to reporting on this story.