Debate prepares for Regionals

The De Soto High School debate team is preparing to compete in the regional competition.

Sophomores Zach Yarborough and Abigail Stutzman as well as Juniors Carlie Harris and Trevor Whitlow will compete at the regional tournament. Camille Poulain is the team alternate.

The team has been preparing to debate this year’s topic: government surveillance.

“To prepare for [the competition] we’ve been writing a lot of disadvantages, especially about what happened in Paris. We’re making sure all of our extension evidence is up to par,” Stutzman said.

According to Debate teacher Jason Hagg, there is uncertainty involved in preparing for the tournament.

“[We are] researching topics that we think we might see at the regional tournament, it’s kind of a guessing game,” Hagg said.

The team wants to move on to the state tournament.

“[Our goal for regionals] is to place in the top to and qualify for State,” Hagg said.

Hagg has several goals for the state tournament as well.

“[Our goal is] to do better than last year, we were 6th last year, so to be in the top five would be great,to get in the top 3 would be great because you get a plaque,” Hagg said.

Many debate students also participate in forensics, which begins in January.

Stutzman is one of the debaters who also participates in forensics.

“I want to go to State this year, because last year I was one place away from qualifying in my informative speech, which was really frustrating,” Stutzman said.

Hagg hopes to have more students participating in forensics.

“[We want to] increase the number of kids going to tournaments, increase the number of events we’re doing at tournaments, so we have a chance to get some trophies. Last year we would never take our whole crew, when we did we would do really well,” Hagg said.

Stuzman also believes the team will benefit from more students competing at tournaments.

“We have a lot more experience this year in forensics and we’ll be able to build off of each other better,” Stuzman said.