Debate to head to nationals
By Ana Calderon |
The speech and debate clubs are making outstanding achievements. This year, for the first time, two competitors qualified for Nationals senior Adrian Johnson and sophomore Matthew Mandell.
Speech and debate team members pose at the TFA state tournament in Austin. Two members qualified for nationals.
“I prepared at least a month almost everyday for a least an hour, maybe two,” Mandell said. “I’d just be running through speeches and just research and running through speeches constantly.”
During the Spring UIL Meet junior Claire Tolsma placed fourth in Persuasive Speaking, freshman Elena Polo placed fourth in Prose Interpretation, Mandell placed fourth in Informative Speaking.
This came a month after TFA state, in which sophomore Bianca Flores was a semifinalist in Prose Interpretation. Johnson and junior Gabrielle Prigmore were quarter finalists in Duo Interpretation. Freshmen Jaden DeBravo and Valeria Najera were quarter finalists in Duet Acting. Mandell was a quarter finalist in Impromptu Speaking.
“You spend a lot of hours talking to your partner,” Prigmore said. ” Duo interpretration is an event of two people so you have to spend a lot of time working together, trying to figure out what works best for you.”
National Qualifier Aldrian Johnson says to practice on the hallways as he’s going to class besides practicing his event everyday.
The competitions do come at a cost. Participants have to travel for about hours to these competitions.
“You are not sleeping well, you’re not eating well, you just have to be in the right space to do it,” Prigmore said.
Other competitors can give them a hard time as well, one of the biggest difficulties for them is not knowing what to expect from other competitors.
Nationals will take place in June in Birmingham, Alabama.