On Oct 1., the anticipating students walked into Dr. Dustin Verpooten’s, Science, room to learn about the upcoming debate season. Both past and new members filled the room to talk about how this season will turn out.
“I hope to do well in debate this year and head to State. Debate helps me advance my English skills and speaking skills and I feel like it will help me out later in my life and with my job,” Jay Chopra (11) said.
Last year at the first competition held at Valparaiso High School, the Indians placed fourth.
“I was in debate last year and it was a great experience. My partner and I place fourth at our first competition. The meets are long, but they stay entertaining and are very enjoyable, especially when you have a fun partner,” Chopra said.
This season will hold three different competitions in which students can participate in Public Forum, Lincoln Douglass or Congress.
“Public Forum is a partner debate in which the topic tends to center around statistics. Lincoln Douglass is solo and tends to center around philosophical, moral based info. Then congress centers around an array of bills that students argue for or against said bills. We will have members in all three and I hope we continue to grow and gain salvation so people keep coming back in the next years,” Dr. Verpooten said.
Not all students in Debate compete. Some take part in the judging process.
“I joined Debate sophomore year and my Public Forum partner quit and I did not know what to do. Then, I tried Lincoln-Douglas but I was not fond of it. I liked the idea of debating so the next year I was told by DVP that I could still participate and be a judge,” Noelle Matasovsky (12) said.
There are no set meetings for the students they can go to room C326 when they choose to work on their speeches.
