2025 Midwest Great Debate was ‘an embodiment of growth, exploration, and community’

Augustana College remains one of the anchor host institutions working with NHI to make its programs possible, and in 2025, it served as home for two programs – including the Midwest Great Debate, bringing close to 75 students from the Midwest U.S. as well as Mexico and Panama for six transformative days, June 28 to July 3.

“I would describe this year’s program as an embodiment of growth, exploration, and community,” said Luis Jauregui, who served as Education Director for the program. “Although we were only there for six days, the participants we saw on Day 1 were not the ones we waved goodbye to on Day 6. Everyone was eager to laugh and learn alongside one another, and I believe a big part of this was seeing so many staff members step into new roles themselves — from almost an entirely new senior staff, to head coaches who have been our JFLs since the return from the pandemic, to first-time JFLs wishing to give back to their community by sharing what they learned at their Midwest Great Debate.”

He added, “This summer felt like the culmination of many NHI experiences. It felt like we were all learning with the participants every step of the way, and for that, I thank the participants and our team. I thank them for willingly pushing themselves toward their goals. For some, it was building up the confidence to start their next round; for others, it was learning how to communicate in more than one language. The goals and experiences were as diverse as our participant demographics. I am eager to see where this summer takes us, as I trust that this is only the beginning of many NHI memories and journeys to come!”

Students participating in the event experienced growth and goodwill throughout the six days.

“I learned how to speak my voice louder and say it out loud in front of people, because usually I would be nervous, but not anymore,” said Kevin Perez of Highland Park High School in Highland Park, Ill., who was part of the winning Cross Examination team. “This was really fun, and this was a big opportunity to project my voice and make a statement.”

Perez was encouraged by his older sister and an NHI staffer to attend the program, and encouraged future freshmen to participate next year by saying, “You never know what could happen or what you could do.”

“I learned a lot about what it means to make a good community, and I learned how to organize myself in order to make my point as clear as possible in debates,” said Maria Gonzalez Mota, also of Highland Park High School, who won in the Extemporaneous Speaking category. She said, of the team she formed with other participating students on the program’s first day, “We grew as a community … I got so comfortable with them in a short amount of days.”

Augustana also hosted the National Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session, which is historically (as a Midwest U.S.-based program) where many of the previous year’s Midwest Great Debate participants return.

Top honors at this year’s Midwest Great Debate included:

Oratory

• Winner: Aitana San Roman, Sunhills Valley School, Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico
• 2nd Place: Frida Romina Torres Suarez,
• All-State Orator: Sofia Ponce Aguilar, Instituto Jassá Teresiano, León, Mexico

Extemporaneous Speaking

• Winner: Maria Gonzalez Mota, Highland Park HS, Highland Park, Illinois
• 2nd Place: Debi Geogieva,
• All-State Extemp: Martha Abascal, Escuela Sierra Nevada Interlomas, Huixquilucan, Mexico

Cross Examination

• Winners: Cruz Ramos, Creighton Preparatory School, Omaha, Nebraska, and Kevin Perez, Highland Park HS, Highland Park, Illinois
• 2nd Place: Gianna Mondragón Rodriguez, Instituto Jassá Teresiano, León, Mexico, and Rhea Ranjit, Palatine HS, Palatine, Illinois
• All-State Leader: Vale Guerra Lorenzo, John F. Kennedy The American School of Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico
• All-State Member: Lucas Montilla, Glenbard West HS, Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Atheneum

• Winners: Nayeli Arias Victoriano, Palatine HS, Palatine, Illinois, Daysi Garcia Sanchez, Lindblom Math and Science Academy, Chicago, Illinois, Brooklyn Hollins, Thorton Fractional South HS, Lansing, Illinois, and Agustin Rodriguez, Chicago, Illinois)
• 2nd Place: Gia Funes, Palatine HS, Palatine, Illinois, Sara Moreno, Instituto Jassá Teresiano, León, Mexico, and Ana Perez, Sunhills Valley School, Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico
• 3rd Place: Emilio Caballero Barrera, Round Lake High School, Round Lake Beach, Illinois, Kenny Herrera, Lane Tech College Prep High School, Chicago, Illinois, and Roberto Pretelt, Academia Internacional Boquete, Alto Boquete, Panama

Transformation Awards

• Nayeli Arias Victoriano, Palatine HS, Palatine, Illinois
• Camila Ariza, Highland Park HS, Highland Park, Illinois
• Maite Hinojos Torres, John F. Kennedy The American School of Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico
• Nhi Nguyen, Palatine HS, Palatine, Illinois
• Joshua Simon, Highland Park HS, Highland Park, Illinois
• Chelsea Zamora Arjona, Academia Internacional Boquete, Alto Boquete, Panama

Hall of Fame Award

Eden Rodriguez Martinez, Marshalltown High School, Marshalltown, Iowa

Chris Pluta Award

Daniel Teran, Palatine HS, Palatine, Illinois

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

Valeria Rodriguez contributed to reporting on this story.