Nine high school students from across the country made the team after enduring a three-step application process. They had to submit a series of personal and persuasive essays defending suggested perspectives as well as videos of oral presentations in the form of mock debates.

“I’m super excited to get to know [my teammates] better and learn their different approaches towards debate, since every part of the country has a different style,” Yount said.

The USA debaters will compete in World Schools Debate tournaments around the globe this year, including ones in Slovenia and New York.

“Liz has such a passion to constantly learn and be the best she can be in everything she does,” upper school debate coach Shania Hunt said. “Her placement on the USA Worlds Schools Debate team not only continues the tradition of having a Harvard Westlake member on the team, but more importantly is a signifier of her hard work.”

Yount is the captain of the Harvard-Westlake World Schools Debate team. Last year, she won first-place speaker and first-place overall at the First and Second Year Nationals at Woodward Academy.

She said that she believes her experiences in the program have prepared her well for the USA Debate workload.

She will continue competing in the school program while working with USA Debate this year.