Students from Lawrence Road Middle School in Uniondale competed on a national stage in February, as eighth grader Kiara Toledo and sixth grader Afeeya Zafarali advanced to the playoff round at the Harvard Speech and Debate Tournament.
Led by social worker and debate coach Keith Coles, the team faced off against hundreds of competitors from across the country in the middle school public forum division.
“They both got so excited and was crying,” Coles said. “The emotion of it got the better of them.”
The tournament included roughly 277 teams in the division, with only a portion advancing. Students debated the issue of sports betting, arguing whether the federal government should create a national framework to regulate it or leave decisions up to individual states.
“In December, there are two topics that the National Speech and Debate Association puts out and then on January 1st, we find out what the topic is,” Coles said. “And then we basically have six weeks to prepare them.”
“What was really special about this team is that I had a sixth grader and I never really take sixth graders,” Coles said of Zafarali. “But she held her own. She did really well.”
Zafarali stood out early, Coles said, by taking initiative during preparation. Toledo, meanwhile, returned after a challenging previous year and was initially unsure about competing alongside a younger teammate.
“I just encouraged her,” Coles said. “I said you’re good, I’m going to find the right partner for you. I told her, just trust me — this is going to work out.”
“I see that Afeeya puts effort, she puts in the time,” Toledo said. “She actually practices and I think she’s well suited for me.”
For both students, debate has helped them grow more confident in the classroom. They said they are now more willing to ask questions and challenge ideas during lessons.
Coles said that debate helps students build public speaking, research and critical thinking skills at a young age. The students are analyzing information and figuring out what is most important.
“Debate changed the way I think because I always have a response for everything,” Zafarali said. “But the research part did help me be able to find more evidence.”
Another student, Brianna showed growth in a different way.
Coles said she initially struggled with behavior but returned determined to improve. She transferred from Hempstead to Lawrence Road in 2024 school district and participated on the debate team there. However, she wanted to join Uniondale’s but with months suspensions and landing herself in trouble delayed that.
As she was approached with joining debate by Toledo and Zafarali she asked to join Lawrence roads. Coles later gave her the opportunity to join the team, and she followed through.
“It’s been a full turnaround for her,” Coles said. “Sometimes people take you for what they see and not what they know.”
Brianna said she has found a more supportive environment on Uniondale’s debate team compared with her previous school in Hempstead. She noted that coaches at her former school were less involved, while at Lawrence Road, she feels students receive more guidance and instruction, helping her stay engaged and improve her skills.
“I know that next time a problem happens, I’m not going to fight them or say anything back because I know that’s just going to turn into a bad outcome,” she said. “Before I even react I think to myself I shouldn’t do anything bad, nothing negative, and I should tell a teacher or an adult.
“They were competitive. They weren’t afraid,” he said. “That was my biggest takeaway this year.”
