2008 Woodie Awards
Debate team prevails in regional contest
By: Anthony Sodd
Issue date: 10/25/07 Section: Lifestyle
- Page 1 of 1
Webster University's debate team returned victorious from its regional competition with proof that WU students are masters of words.
Due to fall break, the team was considerably smaller than usual at the Pi Kappa Delta Bi-Provincial Tournament at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Ark.
"We dominated squads that were twice our size," said Gina Jensen, faculty coach of the
debate team.
The competition was larger than normal regional competitions. The Province of the Heartland and the Lower Mississippi Province regions came together to compete with each other. There were schools from seven states in attendance.
"Our team gets along with people," said sophomore Megan Goodrich, a speech communications and secondary education major. "We are not a competitive team, but if we had to choose a team that we like to compete with, it's Southwest Baptist University."
WU had three first place finishes: two by communications sophomore Deanna Beaton for Persuasive Speaking and Programmed Oral Interpretation, and the other went to Goodrich for
Prose Interpretation.
Jazz vocal senior Alaina Gonzales-White won second place for Dramatic Interpretation. Goodrich and education freshman Dan Rask shared third place in the Dramatic Duo Interpretation category, while international relations sophomore Lauren van der Dys received fourth place and Top Novice for her Extemporaneous Speaking.
"I paid real close attention to the news," van der Dys said. "The Economist is my
best friend."
The team's strong finish at the regional competition is not unprecedented; they have ranked in the top five of all universities in Pi Kappa Delta for longer than this millennium. Competitions are not broken up by school size, like many sports, but rather all universities compete together.
"We're up against everyone from Harvard to UCLA," Jensen said. "Doing well in this regional tournament will bode well for us in the nationals."
The national competition will be held at WU this year from March 6 through 9. More than 70 schools are expected
to attend.
"Debate is really useful," van der Dys said. "It forces you to do critical thinking on
your feet."
WU's debate team is not an exclusive club. Some members competed in high school, but experience is not
a prerequisite.
"You don't have to come with experience," said Beaton, who didn't compete in high school. "I joined because I like to talk a lot. Then when I met the people, it was a
sure thing."
Due to fall break, the team was considerably smaller than usual at the Pi Kappa Delta Bi-Provincial Tournament at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Ark.
"We dominated squads that were twice our size," said Gina Jensen, faculty coach of the
debate team.
The competition was larger than normal regional competitions. The Province of the Heartland and the Lower Mississippi Province regions came together to compete with each other. There were schools from seven states in attendance.
"Our team gets along with people," said sophomore Megan Goodrich, a speech communications and secondary education major. "We are not a competitive team, but if we had to choose a team that we like to compete with, it's Southwest Baptist University."
WU had three first place finishes: two by communications sophomore Deanna Beaton for Persuasive Speaking and Programmed Oral Interpretation, and the other went to Goodrich for
Prose Interpretation.
Jazz vocal senior Alaina Gonzales-White won second place for Dramatic Interpretation. Goodrich and education freshman Dan Rask shared third place in the Dramatic Duo Interpretation category, while international relations sophomore Lauren van der Dys received fourth place and Top Novice for her Extemporaneous Speaking.
"I paid real close attention to the news," van der Dys said. "The Economist is my
best friend."
The team's strong finish at the regional competition is not unprecedented; they have ranked in the top five of all universities in Pi Kappa Delta for longer than this millennium. Competitions are not broken up by school size, like many sports, but rather all universities compete together.
"We're up against everyone from Harvard to UCLA," Jensen said. "Doing well in this regional tournament will bode well for us in the nationals."
The national competition will be held at WU this year from March 6 through 9. More than 70 schools are expected
to attend.
"Debate is really useful," van der Dys said. "It forces you to do critical thinking on
your feet."
WU's debate team is not an exclusive club. Some members competed in high school, but experience is not
a prerequisite.
"You don't have to come with experience," said Beaton, who didn't compete in high school. "I joined because I like to talk a lot. Then when I met the people, it was a
sure thing."
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