Palmetto High School debate team members (left to right) Rene Gallo, Emilie Keldie, Michael Rosenberg and Sonia Vohra are all smiles after scoring big

Led by teacher-coach Jeff Brown, the four-member team came away with first-place finishes in two categories. Michael Rosenberg and Emilie Keldie won gold eagle trophies, symbolizing that they are state champions.

Rosenberg won the intensely competitive Lincoln-Douglas Division, facing five opponents in preliminary debate on the subject of juvenile crime. He was judged the winner in four rounds to advance to the elimination rounds. Six judges then named him the winner in the quarter-final and semi-final rounds.

He was adjudged final winner and named the best high school debater in Florida.

Meantime, Keldie won first place for Humorous Interpretation, besting 24 competitors in four preliminary rounds of debate.

Both Rosenberg and Keldie are juniors and will return to the Palmetto debate team in the next school year.