Keystone Heights senior Erabelle Contant scored a spot in the Ronald Reagan Debate Series National Championship in July after winning the event’s Florida Regional Competition this month. 

According to a Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute release, the regional event held at Colonial High School on May 10th showcased local high school students’ persuasive public speaking skills and respectful discourse.  

Contant said having a platform for civil, thoughtful discussion inspired her to participate in the Ronald Reagan Debate Series, which she said resonated with her ambition to pursue law and advocacy. 

Contant’s win secured her and one chaperone an all-expenses paid trip to the National Championship that will be held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California. She’ll have the opportunity to compete for a share of the $50,000 worth of scholarship money. 

“The Ronald Reagan Debate Series was a new and exciting chapter for me, as it was my very first time competing in this style of debate,” Contant said in a release. “Winning this competition is both humbling and motivating, and I’m proud to represent my school, team, and Florida this July in California. This opportunity feels like a steppingstone toward the future I’m working to build.” 

The Ronald Reagan Debate Series is a program from The Reagan Foundation aiming to foster skills of discourse, pragmatism and thoughtful communication embodied by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan in ninth through 12th grade students. 

The foundation’s 400-acre campus sustains the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, which is the largest and most visited presidential library, and serves as the final resting place of Reagan and former first lady Nancy Reagan. 

“Contant’s remarkable achievements reflect the principles championed by President Reagan, emphasizing the significance of respectful discourse and cultivating unity through mutual understanding,” said Richard Schroeder, The Reagan Foundation’s chief education programming officer. “It is a privilege to have her represent Florida at the National Championship this summer, and we extend our heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for her future successes.”