Winning Season for VBI Family

This past weekend, an unprecedented contingent of fifty VBI alumni competed in the Lincoln-Douglas division at the National Tournament of Champions. We would like to congratulate each of them personally (and apologize, in advance, for any errors in or omissions from this list):

Achal Srinivasan, Adam Brown, Amun Khan, Alex Zhao, Annie Gersh, Ariel Azbel, Ashish Wadhwani, Bennett Eckert, Bo Slade, Breann Smith, Cameron Cohen, Cameron McConway, Chris Coles, Connor Engel, Danielle Dosch, Dino De La O, Felix Tan, Ishan Gaur, Jack Wareham, John Martin Weed, John Overing, Jonas Le Barillec, Jonathan Beavers, Kathryn Kenny, Kris Kaya, Kyle Fennessy, Lavanya Singh, Louisa Melcher, Morgan Grosch, Nalin Vattigunta, Nick Steele, Nina Potischman, Nisarg Shah, Noah Simon, Oliver Sussman, Parker Whitfill, Parchet Bhike, Prince Hyeamang, Raffi Pilifero, Richard Cook, Rithvik Seela, Ryan Younger, Saavan Nanavati, Sara Kaplan, Sean Fahey, Shankar Krishnan, Shivane Sabharwal, Srivatsav Pyda, Varun Venkatesh, Whitley Perryman.

Ultimately, Harvard-Westlake’s Nick Steele (VBI ’11, ’12, ’13, ’14, staff ’16) emerged victorious, after walking over teammate Cameron Cohen (VBI ’12, ’13, ’14) in semifinals and defeating Felix Tan (VBI ’15, staff ’16) in finals. Nick joins TOC champions Rebecca Kuang (VBI ’11, ‘12), Noah Star (VBI ‘11), Danny DeBois (VBI ’12, ‘13), and Chris Theis (VBI ’07, ’08) on this summer’s VBI staff.

Congratulations also to semifinalist Varad Agarwala (VBI staff ’16) and Policy Debate semifinalist Raam Tambe (VBI ’12, ‘13); quarterfinalists Shivane Sabharwal (VBI ‘13), Lavanya Singh (VBI ’14, ‘15), and Jack Wareham (VBI ’13, ‘15), who was also Top Speaker; octafinalists Raffi Piliero (VBI ‘14), Bennett Eckert (VBI ’15, staff ‘16), Achal Srinivasan (VBI ’13, ‘15), and Amit Kukreja (VBI staff ‘16); and run-off round participants Noah Simon (VBI ’13, ’14, ’15) and Oliver Sussman (VBI ‘15).

VBI alumni also won the following national tournaments this season (sorry if we missed any!):

• NDCA Championships (VBI closeout)
• Golden Desert (VBI closeout)
• Emory (VBI closeout)
• UH Cougar Classic (VBI closeout)
• Isidore Newman (VBI closeout)
• Glenbrooks (VBI closeout)
• Bronx (VBI closeout)
• St. Mark’s (VBI closeout)
• Voices (VBI closeout)
• Voices Round Robin (VBI closeout)
• Loyola (VBI closeout)
• Greenhill Round Robin (VBI closeout)
• Holy Cross Round Robin (VBI closeout)
• Valley (VBI closeout)
• Valley Round Robin (VBI closeout)
• Alta
• Greenhill
• Holy Cross
• Yale
• TFA State
• CPS
• Strake Jesuit
• Apple Valley
• Meadows
• Harvard-Westlake Round Robin
• Blue Key
• Battle for Los Angeles
• Harrison Round Robin
• Kandi King
• Columbia
• Hockaday Round Robin

Our institute would not be what it is today without the support of our incredible alumni, loving parents, and dedicated coaches. So thank you for being part of our family. We’ll see many of you at Nationals and this summer at VBI!