Al Zaidi is a rising freshman at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a graduate of Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy in Florida.
Across three seasons in Extemp, Al won national tournaments including Yale, Bronx, Blue Key, and the Sunvitational — alongside FFL Florida State championships in both International Extemp and United States Extemp. Al was also a semifinalist in IX at NSDA Nationals, the TOC, and Harvard; a finalist at Glenbrooks, Emory, and the Coolidge Cup; and received two invitations to the Montgomery Bell Academy Round Robin.
Alongside competing, Al coaches in his local community. In 2023, he founded a debate initiative that reaches 150+ students in Title I schools. He also directs local tournaments, organizing the region’s first competition for 60+ students from seven high schools. Al is an NSDA Academic All-American, a recipient of the NSDA Speaking & Service Award, and a recipient of the NSDA All-State Award. A published novelist and poet, Al enjoys employing language for creative expression and has invented an antibiotic for nosocomial infection. He is a published researcher and a Borlaug Scholar. A former ISD camper, Al is excited to return to ISD as an instructor this summer!
