Speech and Debate Working Hard

To begin the 2015-2016 school year, the Speech and Debate team began working on pieces to develop for upcoming contests. Jamie Deckard, the sponsor of speech and debate, has stayed after school to help students critique their speaking skills for the events that they will be entering and performing in. Deckard explains, “We have a variety of events going this year in Poetry, Prose, Duet Acting, and Dramatic Interpretation. There are also some Humorous Interpretation and Storytelling pieces in the works for later tournaments.”
Chauncey Miller, a senior, is polishing her piece that she has been working on with Deckard after school for a few weeks now. Miller states, “I’m competing in poetry this season so I’ve prepared by reading a lot of poetry, choosing a few poems for my piece, and practicing a lot!” Another Senior, Luke Cockroft, says, “I am really trying to get first place in Improvisational Duet Acting, so I have been practicing for that performance.”
Speech and Debate has won their Conference several years in a row, which is another goal for the team again this year. Miller explains, “We’re hoping to make it to ten years so we can say we’ve had a decade of dominance!”
The team competed in a tournament at Osage on October 31st with a third place finish by Courtney Deeds and Luke Cockroft in Improvisational Duet Acting after advancing to finals. The Speech and Debate team also attended the competition at Purdy November 7th. Luke Cockroft and Emma Hacket placed 7th overall in Improvisational Duet Acting, and Marren Gillet took 6th place overall in Radio Speaking. The Speech and Debate team has also been working on pieces for the competiton that took place at Buffalo on November 22nd.