Bedfordview Grade 10 Learner Takes Debating Talent to Harvard Stage!

Photo Credit: Supplied by Ryan Grant

Grade 10 powerhouse Ruby Banjac has just proved that dedication and a strong voice can take you anywhere in the world.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, (02 June 2026) – From Bedfordview to Massachusetts, Grade 10 learner Ruby Banjac recently made her mark on the international debating circuit, competing at one of the world’s most prestigious student tournaments.

Ruby travelled all the way to the city of Cambridge as part of her debating club, Apex, to take part in the Harvard College World Schools Invitational 2026 – an elite event that brought together over 90 premier teams from across the globe for a week of high-stakes competition.

Competing in five preliminary rounds, Ruby’s team secured three victories and advanced to the novice semi-finals, finishing 4th among novice teams in the tournament. The talented debater also achieved an impressive individual speaker ranking 39^th in a field featuring some of the world’s top young debaters.

For Ruby, this experience challenged and inspired her in equal measure.

“Competing at Harvard was an unforgettable experience. The level of competition was intense, and while the semi-final loss was tough, standing among the top speakers globally taught me so much about the nuance of international discourse. Touring the Harvard campus and engaging with brilliant minds from every corner of the world has only fuelled my passion for debating. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have grown not just as a speaker, but as a global citizen.”

Ruby’s latest achievement builds on an already impressive debating journey.

Last year, she competed internationally at the Tanzania World Schools Debating Championship in Zanzibar, where her team won the tournament. She later represented Gauteng at the National Championships, reaching the final and being ranked the fifth junior speaker in South Africa.

Her performance led to selection for the South African Junior Debating Team earlier this year.

“Making the SAJ team means the world to me. It shows that all the hard work and time invested was truly worth it. It is an absolute honour to represent my country at the junior level and I can’t wait to see what’s next.”
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Ruby, a learner at Reddam House Bedfordview, is now preparing for the World Schools Debate Academy in Slovenia, where she hopes to continue building on her international experience.