by Sabrina Rickert `19

 In Debate Club, students research topics to argue with other schools, but our school’s club is lacking members. And people don’t really know what the debaters do in the club. 

 During lunch meetings, debate club researches the upcoming debate issue and discusses potential sources to use as evidence in defending our side of the topic. 

 “We need to get ourselves out there more I think a lot of the people in this school don’t even know that there is a Debate Team…it’s the lack of recognition.” said Debate Team captain Summer Graves.

During the debate, opening statements are presented first. First, the teams enter the room and they sign up to be either team one or team two. That determines the order in which the debaters speak. After team one goes first and introduces their side, team two presents their opening statement. During a crossfire, which is the back and forth part of the debate, both teams ask each other questions about the flaws in their opponents’ opening statements. Team one makes a four minute speech about what the other team has said so far and how their team is correct, and team two does the same. After another crossfire and a summary of what both teams have presented, only new evidence can be presented.  In the end, conclusion speeches summarize everything that was said by each side.

 “I think that people are interested in potentially becoming lawyers or writers or anything along those lines debate club is perfect for you. It also leads to a membership in an honors society, and then you get to graduate with honors. You wear cords at graduation. It looks wonderful on your college transcript. You would be a member of the National Forensics League Honors Society for life,” said Debate Team sponsor Elizabeth Kominski. Debate Club starts in the fall in J273.