"Are we all here?" asked Professor Daisy, looking at her students.
"Everything is ready, Professor Daisy," said Devon, who seemed to be much more nervous and excited than usual.
Daisy smiled at the enthusiasm of these selected students. For her, being chosen as the teacher to bring these students was one of the most pleasant feelings, and she couldn't help but draw a bit of this happiness at this moment.
"The result doesn't matter, but how you perform out there. Remember, in a debate, you must be yourselves to give your best."
"Understood, we know what to do," said Dash, adjusting the suit he had worn for this occasion.
Devon approached him and adjusted his tie, looking at Dash approvingly. "You look incredible."
"Don't you think this is too much?" Dash asked, feeling a bit uncomfortable in his tight suit.
"No, this is the minimum."
For this debate, the three participants from Dash and Devon's school decided to follow established rules by wearing both feminine and masculine outfits. Being presentable was how they would fulfill one of the debate's requirements, and that's when everything would start. For this occasion, Dash chose to wear a black suit, but the muscles of his body, which were usually hidden, now made him feel a bit uncomfortable in the tight suit.
As a martial artist, he was not accustomed to wearing tight clothes, so the discomfort was significant on this occasion.
Devon, on the other hand, couldn't stop adjusting Dash's tie, which was obviously uncomfortable. "You'll open the debate, so you must be very intense in the first few minutes. You must surprise not only the audience but also the judges who are unfamiliar with this school."
"All right, guys, the support team will be among the audience, so we expect good results from all of you." Daisy left with all the students who had come and walked away because it was about to begin.
"Students, you must go to your assigned seats right now," said a guy who seemed to be in his last years of study.
Dash nodded, and after taking a folder with some sheets containing key information, he left the room where he was. By the time they passed through a corridor, they soon reached a podium where there was a whole place full of students who soon threw glances at them.
For someone like Dash, this place was not overwhelming, but he could perfectly understand that feeling the eyes of the public could generate some discomfort for his companion, a guy named Liam, so he murmured, "Just go with the flow; this is no different from the simulations we do in class."
Liam was surprised for a moment but ultimately nodded and muttered, "Thanks for that."
When everyone was in position, one of the judges took a microphone and said, "Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to this exciting debate on technological advancement! We are here to explore the different aspects of this phenomenon that have transformed our lives in unimaginable ways."
"For this presentation, we have the positive side of this debate from West Valley High School, who have traveled a long way but are here to teach everything learned in their school. As for the negative side, we have our school, Seaford High School, who represent our virtues."
After giving this brief introduction, the host said, "On the other side, we have Dash Hale, Devon Lee, and Liam Allen. Let's give them a big round of applause!"
All the students applauded enthusiastically. It was not at all common to have students from other schools, and seeing many of them was a very interesting event to watch.
"On the positive side, we have Kim Crawford, Jerry Martinez, and Eddie Jones. Let's give our Seaford High School students a round of applause."
In the same way, the applause did not fall short, and when it stopped, one of the judges said, "Each side has its arguments, so we as judges will refrain from asking you questions. Please let the positive side start with their opening arguments, and it will be contradicted by their first opponent."
"You have five minutes each!"
Dash nodded, and as the first to go, he stood up from where he was sitting and approached the podium, where there was a microphone. As soon as he approached, he smiled charismatically and, looking at the audience, said, "Good morning."
Taking a not-so-short pause, Dash began his entry by saying, "Undoubtedly, technological advancement has been the driving force behind incredible progress in all spheres of our society. From medicine to communication, technology has improved our quality of life and opened up new opportunities."
"Take artificial intelligence as an example. It has revolutionized healthcare, allowing for more accurate diagnoses and personalized treatments."
"Furthermore, the global connectivity provided by information technologies has created a network that unites people from all over the world. This has facilitated the exchange of knowledge, international collaboration, and impressive scientific and cultural advances."
The judges nodded, and at that moment, Dash pressed the button to turn off his microphone, and it was time for the opposing side to argue their points against.
Jerry coughed with a bit of nervousness and said, "Despite all these benefits, we cannot ignore the risks and challenges associated with technological advancement. Automation, for example, has led to job losses in various industries, generating concern for economic and social stability."
"In addition, excessive dependence on technology has created privacy and security issues. Mass data collection and the risk of cyberattacks pose significant threats to society." Saying this, Jerry pressed his button to pass the word to Dash, who immediately started to respond.
"We live in technological advances that bring many social benefits. This technological eruption provides us with massive data, driverless cars, genetic engineering, smart cities, astonishing artificial intelligence, or robotic automation."
Dash smiled slightly and pointed out, "I won't be the one to say that technology is not something to be enthusiastically embraced. I won't be the one to doubt its virtues. Obviously, it won't be me, but I can see all of you embracing change with a smile on your lips."
In these moments, Dash's shrewd gaze focused on the audience and them on him, deeply connecting with each of the people and making them understand that his arguments were very valid.