Edmonds Speech & Debate

EHRC Speech and Debate team had 6 students attend the NDEP pre-season seminar in October.  The NDEP is a Nationally recognized Debate Education Program run by Yale professor Minh Luong.  Students were instructed by Professor Luong and top national-level debaters.  Thanks to Natassia Brusewitz, Alex Stewart, Amanda Lewis, Kala H., Tim and Abe Olsen for getting our team off to a great start!

The Edmonds HRC Speech and Debate team season started in Mukilteo with the Kamiak High School Novice Tournament in October and ended at State Speech Championships in March with Abe and Tim Olsen in Duo Interp, Tim Olsen in Impromptu and Alex Stewart in Extemporaneous Speaking. During the year, 12 students competed at 12 tournaments in Gig Harbor , Mukilteo, Mt. Vernon and Tacoma at the University of Puget Sound , Puyallup , Bellevue , Arlington and Burlington .

Fifteen students were part of the program and the team received awards at 5 of the 12 tournaments totaling 8 individual awards and one debate award. These awards went to Kala H.  at Kamiak’s October and February tournaments, Abe Olsen at Gig Harbor, Tim Olsen at Kamiak and State Quals, and Kallie Ferguson at Eastside Catholic.

Coach Dawna Lewis was the recipient of the first annual WSFA New Coach’s Camp Scholarship . Dawna attended a one week Lincoln-Douglas debate camp at Whitman College in Walla Walla in July.

The team also sponsored two lunchtime presentations this year.  The presentations, entitled “The Real World”, provided EHRC students the opportunity to hear from area professionals, most of who happen to be forensics alumni.  Thanks to Olga Oblad (Oak Harbor HS alum), Melissa Geri Jenkins (EHRC Science Teacher and Sehome HS alum), Erin Ragland (Woodinville HS alum), Todd Christensen (EHRC principal and Woodway HS alum), Michelle Geri Ferris (Seattle attorney and Sehome HS alum), Cathy Shea (retired stockbroker), Mary Monahan (CPS social worker), Judy Spadoni (middle school speech coach at St. Luke’s), John Tulloch (Legislative Asst. to Sen. Paull Shin), and Jen Johnson (Executive Director of the Seattle Debate League) for participating in our panel discussion.

We sponsored a field trip to watch the Renton HS team, the 3A WA State Speech Champions, perform their award-winning selections.  Not just a Debate Team trip, 50 people attended!