“Standing Among the Top Speakers”: Johannesburg Grade 10 Learner Debates at Harvard Tournament

• Ruby Banjac, a 15-year-old Grade 10 learner from Reddam House Bedfordview in Johannesburg, competed at the Harvard College World Schools Invitational 2026
• Her team, which included South African debaters William Downes and Christopher Tighe Kokot from Radford House, reached the novice semi-finals and finished fourth among the top novice teams
• Ruby is already preparing for her next international competition, and her school principal says her achievements at this level in Grade 10 are exceptional

A 15-year-old from Johannesburg has just returned from one of the biggest student debating tournaments in the world. Ruby Banjac, a Grade 10 learner at Reddam House Bedfordview, travelled to Cambridge, Massachusetts. The trip was part of a South African delegation trained by Apex Debating Academy and coached by Thuli Madumo, Eric Kazadi, and Khumo Khumalo to compete in the Harvard College World Schools Invitational 2026

Ruby competed in five preliminary rounds at Harvard, winning three of them. Her team, which also included William Downes and Christopher Tighe Kokot from Radford House, made it all the way to the novice semi-finals, finishing fourth among the best novice teams at the tournament.

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She also ranked 39th overall as an individual speaker in a field packed with some of the strongest young debaters from across the world. Ruby said the experience was unlike anything she'd been through before:

"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."

Ruby's road to Harvard

This wasn't Ruby's first time competing internationally. In 2025, she travelled to Zanzibar for the Tanzania World Schools Debating Championship, where her team won the entire tournament.

She then represented Gauteng at the South African National Championships, reached the final, and was ranked the fifth best junior speaker in the country. That performance earned her a spot on 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."

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What's next for Ruby?

Ruby is now preparing for the World Schools Debate Academy in Slovenia, her next stop on what is becoming a serious international debating career.

Stephen Hazley, Executive Head of Reddam House Bedfordview, said Ruby's results reflect more than just talent. He said her commitment, discipline and intellectual curiosity set her apart, and that competing at this level while still in Grade 10 is an exceptional accomplishment.

More on SA academic excellence

• Briefly News reported that a UKZN graduate from Pietermaritzburg went from sharing an emotional graduation story online to landing a brand deal.
• A UP law student had the crowd at her graduation stunned after her achievements were called out once the presenter took to the mic.
• A Grade 11 learner from Katlehong topped his class in Maths and Science and ended up getting a ticket to a prominent country after he aced his term four exams.

Source: Briefly News