Mia Song ’27 Wins International Public Forum Championship at Harvard Invitational

Mia Song ’27 has reached a historic milestone in competitive forensics, capturing the International Division Championship in Public Forum Debate at the 63rd Annual Harvard Invitational Speech and Debate Tournament. Held on the Harvard University campus in Boston, the invitational is recognized as one of the largest and most prestigious high school tournaments in the world, drawing over 5,000 students from nearly 500 schools worldwide.

For Mia, the victory represents more than just a trophy; it is a testament to the power of intellectual curiosity and the discipline required to master complex global issues. A residential life student from Shanghai who joined the Saint Andrew’s community in the second semester of her freshman year, Mia has spent years refining her voice. Before arriving in Florida, she was the 2024 National Champion of the National High School Debate League of China. However, this Harvard win marked a significant transition as her first major "offline" tournament victory since coming to the United States.

Preparing for the invitational included weeks of intense research on the assigned topic for her division. Competing in the Public Forum division, a specialized 2v2 format that mirrors real-world advocacy, Mia was one half of a powerhouse duo. She partnered with Emily Chen ’28 (ISNSZ), a student she had known through previous international leagues. Competing under the team name Harbinger CS, the pair navigated six grueling preliminary rounds before advancing through a single-elimination bracket to secure the title.

The tournament required mastery of a dense and timely topic: whether the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) should establish a federal regulatory framework for the billion-dollar sports betting industry. Public Forum is unique because it requires debaters to be experts on both sides of a resolution; a coin flip before each round determines whether a team argues "pro" or "con." Mia had to be prepared to defend or dismantle the FTC’s role at a moment’s notice. While she admitted to being personally "con-biased" regarding the feasibility of the FTC managing such a massive industry, she worked tirelessly to refine her rebuttals and cross-fire strategies.

"Doing multiple topics for debating actually enriched a lot of my knowledge, both during class and outside of school," Mia shared, highlighting the academic purpose behind her passion. This culture of preparation is something she lives daily; as a residential life student, she often spends entire weekends on campus dedicated solely to research, especially when preparing for debate invitationals.

The final round took place in a large seminar room on the Harvard campus, an experience Mia described as both "overwhelming" and "truly amazing." When the results were officially announced, Mia and Emily were named the Harvard 2026 International Division Public Forum Champions. Each was presented with her own trophy: a large, engraved silver bowl unlike any trophy Mia had ever received. When asked what she plans to do with the impressive hardware, she laughed, suggesting it might serve as a great vessel to hold her favorite sweets: Reese’s.

Beyond her individual success, Mia is the co-president of the Debate Club at Saint Andrew’s. Alongside co-president Tim Tian ’27 and faculty advisor Dr. Thomas Henderson, she has helped reshape the campus Debate Club, which has grown to include 20 active students. The club has attended several local tournaments this school year, and Mia finds a sense of purpose in seeing the club compete in even more debates next year. 

Looking ahead, Mia is preparing to compete in the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) national tournament this summer and hopes to eventually attend a college that allows her to continue participating in competitive debate. 

Through her leadership and her win at Harvard, Mia continues to prove that at Saint Andrew's, the pursuit of excellence is a journey that spans both the local community and the global stage.