Edmonds Speech & Debate

The EHRC Speech and Debate team again started the year at the Kamiak Novice Tournament in October.  Returning team members kicked off the season at Gig Harbor soon after. 

This year, 13 students competed at a total of 16 tournaments in the Puget Sound region, at Stanford University, and in Birmingham, Alabama.  Overall, the team received awards at 14 of those tournaments -- totaling 23 speech awards and 18 debate awards. 

We also held our third annual Spring Speech Showcase for an audience of about 30 people.  This year, the Edmonds Conference Center and Arts Now hosted the Showcase as part of the Edmonds Art Walk.  Team Members also performed at a school board meeting and at the year-end school awards assembly as well as participating in a KUOW broadcast.

Our February trip to Stanford was wonderful.  Ali, Alexa, Marian, and Dawna spent the weekend in competition but also enjoyed a day trip to Santa Cruz, the Golden Gate Bridge, and on a driving tour of downtown San Francisco.  Alexa proved herself as a champion navigator and Ali earned a Jr. Varsity LD Debate trophy as an octa-finalist!

The season ended with several huge wins!  We qualified for three entries at the Birmingham Nationals--Michelle and Henry in Student Senate and Charles and Henry qualified in Duo Interp.  Henry declined his Senate seat in order to compete with Charles in Duo.  Michelle was also 1^st Alternate for Dramatic Interp.  Ali earned the 1^st Alternate spot for International Extemp and was 2^nd Alternate in the Student House of Representatives.   At the State Championships, Henry and Alex were recognized again as the Washington State 3A Duo Champs. Our three Finalists at State were Natalie in Dramatic Interp, Ali in Extemp, and Michelle in Student Congress.  Also competing at State were Henry and Laura in Student Congress, Ali in Impromptu and Lincoln-Douglas Debate, and Michelle in Dramatic Interp.

In June, coaches Susan and Dawna traveled with Charles, Henry, Michelle, Ali, and Erika as well as Jan and Jim Simpson to Birmingham, Alabama.  What an amazing week!  Michelle was in the Top 60 for Expository Speaking (out of 307) and in the Top 35 for Extemporaneous Commentary (out of 482 entries!)  In addition to the competition, team members enjoyed visiting the 16^th Street Baptist Church, the Civil Rights Institute, watched a comedy show starring Nationals Champions of years past, and loved the bar-b-q at Jim ‘N Nick’s!