Marlon Pinto, a junior at Portsmouth High School, is the best debater in the NH Debate League in terms of record and points, according to the NH Debate League. Pinto and his partner Mariam Nada, also a junior here at PHS, are undefeated in the debate season this year. Pinto, a great talent and captain of the debate team, believes there is still plenty of room for improvement.

“There’s always room for improvement. I certainly have a lot to work on such as the techniques I use, structuring of a speech, and really simplifying what I talk about, so no, I wouldn’t say I’m at a limit of what I can do,” claims Pinto.

Joseph Kraus, an English teacher at PHS, is in his sixth year coaching the team. Kraus loves to “see the kids able to present really complicated arguments, become experts and expert voices.” 

“Last year he did well, but this year he dominated. It really is an amazing progression; he has come very far,” Kraus continued. 

The most impressive part of Pinto’s success this year has been the rapid rise to success. When Pinto was asked when he realized how good he was at debate, he replied “I think it was at the beginning of this school year when I realized that I was really good at debate.” 

“Marlon has grown tremendously… he shows a great devotion and understanding to the team, has great authority, and is a great leader,” Kraus said.

Pinto’s leadership is a major factor in the success of him, and the rest of the debate team. As a first year captain, Pinto has noticed a great shift in responsibilities for the team in comparison to his first year. 

“It really made me think about the leadership aspect needed in the debate team. Besides just showing up to whatever debate or event we’re having, when you’re a captain, you have to think about the logistics and planning of it as well. In my first year, I didn’t have to think about the amount of teams going, how many judges we need, how we’re getting there, etc, but as a captain, there’s a lot more responsibility on you to ensure success for the team as a whole,” Pinto said.

Tucker Huskey, a PHS junior and a teammate of Pinto, stated that “Marlon is a great leader, he is a person and teammate that I trust to lead a team.” 

Huskey is a new member to the team, and has found a very strong passion for debate. When asked why he joined the team, he said “At first I was in the debate class that PHS offered. I joined the debate class because I thought it would be a class that helped me step out of my comfort zone and practice public speaking. After the debate I had in class I noticed I actually enjoyed the debates and had a lot of fun. After that experience I took the next step and joined the team.”

Kraus thinks very fondly of Pinto’s position as a captain of the debate team. “Despite his first year as captain, he is very reliable and is innovative in thinking. I lean on him a lot to get things done and he is always dependable.” 

It is clear that Pinto’s success as a captain has to do with the trust the people around him have in him. This trust that his team has in him is a major component in the success of the team.

Pinto’s success was slow at the beginning. There are many pieces that you have to cover to make sure your argument is strong, and doesn’t have any mistakes or flaws. Structuring an argument can be a difficult part for many people because if there are any holes in the argument, the other team will take advantage of it and punish you for it. 

“At first, it was a bit difficult, but over time I got the hang of how I should structure my arguments and certain techniques I should use, so over time it’s gotten a lot easier,” said Pinto. 

Debate has many benefits other than just debate skills. According to the NSDA (National Speech & Debate Association), “NSDA membership builds confidence, boosts classroom performance, improves communication, and increases critical thinking skills to prepare students for college. Our activity provides life skills vital to a young person’s success in the future.”

Pinto provided advice for students who are interested in debate: “Try something out if you’re interested in it. Join the debate team, try the class, or just come and watch a debate,” 

Kraus believes the future is bright for the debate team. “I hope to develop a strong NH group of schools,” Kraus said. “PHS is the biggest and most established team in the league, so we hope to expand for more competition. I hope to expand with the Vermont League, mainly for more competition.”