Press Releases

Winfield, Kan., March 28, 2002—The Southwestern debate and forensic teams finish out the year by placing at their last two tournaments. Students competed Friday and Saturday, March 8 and 9, at the Cowley County Community College tournament and again March 15 and 16 at the Northern Oklahoma College tournament. The team placed well at both meets to finish out the season.

At CCCC the team competed against 12 different schools and came out with a first place sweepstakes win. A sweepstakes award honors the team with the most points in debate and forensic competition.

Individually, Amanda Milch, sophomore, Rozel, took first place in persuasive speaking and along with Joey Bauer, freshman, Almena, second place in dramatic duo. Kristina Bullard, freshman, Alachua, Fla., placed third in prose interpretation, first in poetry interpretation, and along with Amanda Bennett, sophomore, Wellington, forth place in duo. Bennett also placed second in poetry. Megan Otto, sophomore, Manhattan, placed third in impromptu speaking, and Nika Orebaugh, senior, Wichita, placed first in dramatic interpretation, second in prose interpretation, and forth in poetry interpretation.

The debate team added points to the total putting the team in a strong lead for the top award. Otto earned second top speaker points. Elizabeth Danforth, freshman, Blackwell, Okla., earned forth top speaker points, and Patrick Arverson, sophomore, Abilene, was fifth in speaker points in the Lincoln Douglas division.

At their final tournament of the year the team performed well against fifteen other colleges and universities. Milch placed forth in persuasive speaking, third in prose interpretation, and along with Bauer, third in duo. Bauer also placed fifth in duo with Bennett. Orebaugh placed sixth in dramatic interpretation and second in prose interpretation. In the Lincoln Douglas debate division Otto placed eighth overall and was forth in speaker points. Arverson placed seventh in speaker points.

Now that the season is over students will begin working on topics for the debate season in the fall while forensics students will begin researching and looking for materials to perform next season Tracy Frederick, director of forensics.

“ This has been a successful year. It has been a long time since I've seen a team work so well together and develop such a strong team spirit. I look forward to working with them next year,” she says.

The team will hold their team awards banquet May 2, honoring team members and supporters.