The Jefferson State Speech and Debate Team traveled to Baytown, Texas on September 19-22 and earned the “Top Community College” award in the Mendoza Debate tournament.
Team members Nathan Wright, Heaven Sheppard, Kelvin Thomas, Daniel Davis and Kelsey Wilson represented Jefferson State and earned numerous awards during tournament hosted by Lee College.
Thomas served as a research assistant during debate preparation time and Wright, Sheppard, Davis and Wilson competed in the novice division of International Public Debate Association (IPDA) debate. IPDA is an impromptu debate where the topic changes each round and debaters have 30 minutes to develop arguments and evidence to support or negate the resolutions.
After seven preliminary rounds of competition, all Jefferson State debaters made it into elimination rounds. Nathan Wright and Heaven Sheppard were finalists, with Wright winning 1st place in Novice IPDA and Sheppard taking 2nd place. Daniel Davis was a quarter finalist in Novice IPDA and Wilson was a semi-finalist. It was the first tournament for both Davis and Wilson.
In addition, Wilson won the 1st Place Novice Speaker award and Wright took home the 5th place speaker award. Speaker points are awarded by judges based on factors such as delivery, courtesy, refutation and organization.
The team will travel to Middle Tennessee State University for their next tournament in early November.
For more information about the team, please contact Dr. Janice Ralya [email protected].
