The speech and debate team is state bound and ready to compete. The team is in the middle of their season and many of the team members already have the qualifications to attend the state meet.

A few of the members have already qualified for state in two events, and many others are hoping to get the opportunity to qualify in multiple events.

“We have 20 members on the team this year and we have about a dozen of them that have qualified for state already,” speech and debate team coach Terrence Fitzgerald said. “Which means that they have placed in a tournament and have gone to another tournament.”

Fitzgerald has experienced both point-of-views of the debate team, one as a coach and one as a member. About 10 years ago, Fitzgerald was a member of the Starr’s Mill debate team. In his first year as an English teacher, he has taken the open position to coach the speech and debate team.

“Kids come in with no public speaking experience and are, I hate to say, pretty bad when they start,” speech team captain Michael King said. Despite the inexperience of some members, nine students have already qualified for state.

• seniors Abby Mapel & Blythe Terry – varsity public forum
• senior Cole Wittbrodt – varsity Lincoln-Douglas
• senior Michael King – impromptu speaking and original oratory
• juniors Quinn Biddle & Aulden Jones – varsity public forum
• junior Grace Maneein – impromptu speaking
• junior Carson Robichaux – impromptu speaking and original oratory
• junior Angela Blado-Perez – original oratory

The debate team will participate in more competitions after semester break in hopes that more students will qualify for state. Additionally, some students are working toward qualifying for the national meet, which will be held toward the end of the spring semester.

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