Written By Katherine Xue

Hello everyone! Here’s another feature of one of our student captains! Today, we’re hearing from Zack Lam, who is a Student Captain for Potomac and a debater, who has been with Potomac Debate since 2017. 

Zack is currently 18-years-old, and a senior at Richard Montgomery High School. If you do the math, that means that he’s been debating for almost 9 years, having started in elementary school. However, for any debater (no matter how seasoned), there will always be moments that catch you off guard. For Zack, it was when he encountered his first theory round in sixth grade.

For those who don’t know, theory arguments in debate are non-topical, meaning they do not have to do with the resolution of the month. Instead, it is an external issue brought up in the round on the norms of the activity. Some common theory arguments include disclosure theory and paraphrase theory. If you’ve never debated a theory argument, don’t worry! You have the time to learn about it, and for everyone, the learning curve comes differently—for Zack, he remembers how he had no idea how to respond. “We just ignored the theory and lost, since they had fully-conceded pre-fiat offense.” No matter how embarrassing at the moment, he now reminisces on it as one of his funny debate experiences. 

Back to Zack’s beginnings—at nine years old, that’s an extremely early start. When asked why he began, he said his dad wanted him to do it. “Gradually, I came to appreciate debate not just as a tool for rhetorical prowess or advocacy, but as an educational tool that’s enabled me to examine everything from pharmaceutical policy to Japanese constitutional politics.” In particular, he’s been able to develop writing skills that he uses both inside and outside of debate. “I am a published poet and also enjoy writing essays on everything ranging from macrosociology, to history, to epistemology. Debate has helped with the latter because it’s given me the articulation and clarity to express my ideas in an informed and coherent manner.”

Being a debater has encouraged Zack to explore a wide variety of issues, and he mentions that outside of debate, he likes “philosophy and examining how it intersects with the social sciences, like sociology, economics, and politics.” He’s also an avid musician and talented pianist, showing the depth and breadth of interests had by our Potomac community!

For all the young debaters out there, Zack has one piece of advice that he would have also given to his elementary-school self. “Never blame the judge for their decision, no matter how absurd – when you do that, you’re forfeiting your own responsibility and volition, and your incentive to improve.” It’s always difficult to take feedback, especially when you believe that the judge may be mistaken in their perspective or approach to the round. However, there’s always a reason a judge votes a certain way — perhaps by considering a viewpoint that contrasts yours, you’ll receive valuable advice on how to improve your communication to ensure that your point translates. 

Thanks for reading along—that’s all for this feature! Keep reading for more spotlights on our amazing student leadership, from our student coaches to captains, who make the Potomac community special. Happy holidays!