State Debate Tournament
The State Debate Tournament, which is the Minnesota State High School League’s longest-running event, marks its 107th anniversary this year. The tournament will be held at Rosemount High School this Friday and Saturday, Jan. 18 and 19.
Dan Willey of Robbinsdale Cooper returns to defend his title in Lincoln-Douglas Debate. In Policy Debate, Maddie Gardner and Gong Zi of Eagan, who lost in last year’s semifinals, return in search of a higher finish.
While students in some rooms are debating whether the federal government should increase public health assistance in Africa, students in other rooms will be debating whether or not the United States should use military force to prevent the acquisition of nuclear weapons by nations that pose a military threat. Sixty students from 21 high schools will plot affirmative and negative strategies to enable them to effectively debate these current issues during the 2008 State Debate Tournament.
The Spotlight on the Arts Award of Excellence will also be presented at the 2008 tournament. Wells Fargo, the League’s premier sponsor, created the recognition program for fine arts participants in cooperation with the League.
Policy Debate
“Resolved: The US federal government should substantially increase its public health assistance to Sub-Sahara Africa.” That is this year’s policy debate issue.
Eighteen teams of two from 12 schools will compete. There are 20 individuals involved this year who competed last year.
Maddie Gardner and Gong Zi of Eagan are the highest returning team. They lost in the semifinals last year. Only two other teams from 2007 return intact: Juan Garcia and Nat Olson of St. Paul Highland Park; and Ben Quam and Ilias Karim of St. Paul Central. Both teams lost in the quarterfinals.
Jillian Jordan of St. Paul Highland Park and Justin Moor of Edina are also looking to improve on last year’s finish. They both competed with different partners in 2007 and both lost in the quarterfinals. Jordan will team up with Michael Lando, who lost with a different partner in last year’s preliminary rounds, and Moor with compete with Rohan Sadagopal. Sadagopol was an alternate for Edina last year.
Six other competitors who also lost in the preliminary rounds last year return with new partners. Joe Skaggs, Jr. and Ashley McVay of Moorhead, who competed together last year, will team with Michelle Stanley and Seiko Shastri, respectively. Stanley also competed in the 2007 tournament. Mankato West’s Ashley Goettl will compete with Tara Kapadia, who was an alternate in 2007. Wothington’s David Bardan will team with newcomer Jeremy Clark. Josh Bernick of Henry Sibley, Mendota Heights, is teaming with David Wolkowicz, who was an alternate in 2007.
One additional alternate from 2007 will represent his team as a competitor this year. Mankato West’s Jeff Hatleli will compete with Brian Chesley. Jo Megas of St. Paul Highland Park is the only person to return as an alternate for a second straight year.
Mankato West, Moorhead, Henry Sibley of Mendota Heights, St. Paul Highland Park, Wayzata, and Eden Prairie have qualified two teams each. The qualifying teams are the first- through third-place finishers from the six section tournaments.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate
“Resolved: It is just for the United States to use military force to prevent the acquisition of nuclear weapons by nations that pose a military threat.” That is this year’s Lincoln-Douglas debate issue.
Twenty-four students from 14 schools are qualified. The qualifiers are the first- through fourth-place finishers from the six section tournaments.
Dan Willey of Robbinsdale Cooper, who easrned the 2007 championship, returns in search of more gold. Jake Branchaud-Linsk of Eastview, Apple Valley, who lost in the quarterfinals, is also hoping to improve on last year’s finish.
In addition to Willey and Branchaud-Linsk, seven other competitors who lost in the preliminary rounds also return: Akshar Rambachan of Eastview, Chris Theis of Apple Valley, Brian Ashburn of Brainerd, Courtney Erickson of Lakeville North, Francesa Parente of Wayzata, John Scoggin of The Blake School of Minneapolis, and Zac Field of Coon Rapids.
As it occurred when Lincoln and Douglas debated more than a century ago, this event pits individual against individual.
Schedule
Preliminary rounds of both forms of debate will be conducted throughout the day Friday, with Policy debaters starting at 2:30 p.m. and Lincoln-Douglas debaters starting at 3:00 p.m. On Saturday morning there are two more preliminary rounds of Lincoln-Douglas Debate beginning at 8 o’clock, and a fifth preliminary round of Policy Debate starting at 8:15 a.m. Quarterfinals for Policy Debate are set for 10:30 a.m., followed by Lincoln-Douglas Debate quarterfinals at 10:45 a.m. Semifinals for both forms of debate will begin at 1:00 p.m. The Lincoln-Douglas Debate final will begin at 2:15 p.m. and the Policy Debate final will begin at 3:30 p.m. Awards for Lincoln-Douglas Debate will commence at 3:00 p.m., and awards for Policy Debate will begin at 5:00 p.m.
The Spotlight on the Arts Award of Excellence will be presented to four competitors in Lincoln-Douglas Debate and eight competitors in Policy Debate, recognizing their outstanding fine arts performances by reaching the tournament’s semifinals. The Spotlight on the Arts campaign was launched to increase awareness and visibility of the League’s fine arts disciplines. The award will also be presented to the finest participants in the one act play festival, music contests, visual arts, and speech competitions.
Admission to the debate tournament is free and open to the public. Rosemount High School is located at 3335 142nd Street West in Rosemount.