Fifteen-year-old Ruby Banjac has put South Africa on the global debating map after competing at a prestigious Harvard University tournament, advancing to the novice semi-finals and achieving a top 40 individual speaker ranking.
A Grade 10 learner from Reddam House Bedfordview is drawing international attention after competing at a prestigious debating tournament hosted by Harvard University in the United States.
Fifteen-year-old Ruby Banjac travelled to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to take part in the Harvard College World Schools Invitational 2026 as part of her debating club, Apex. The tournament brought together more than 90 teams from around the world.
Competing in five preliminary rounds, Ruby’s team secured three victories and progressed to the novice semi-finals, placing fourth among the top novice teams. She also achieved an individual speaker ranking of 39th in a field featuring some of the world’s leading young debaters.
Ruby said the experience was both demanding and transformative.
