STA debate team prepares for first competition

The STA debate team is gearing up for a new school year.

Kate+Absher%2C+English+teacher+and+debate+moderator%2C+walks+through+her+classroom+during+the+info+meeting+for+Debate+team+Aug.+31.+photo+by+Audrey+Carroll

Kate Absher, English teacher and debate moderator, walks through her classroom during the info meeting for Debate team Aug. 31. photo by Audrey Carroll

by Maggie Knox, Editor-in-Chief

STA debate moderators Kate Absher and Alicia Stewart will hold a “debate bootcamp” Sept. 12 to allow new debaters to learn the ropes of parliamentary debate from Varsity debaters.

According to Absher, this morning session will allow the team to brush up on their skills and help them prepare for their first competition, which will be held at Notre Dame de Sion Sept. 30.

“We have 12 or 14 Varsity debaters,” Absher said. “We have nine total in my [debate] class, but in addition to that, we have 50 girls who are interested. And, most of the people interested are freshmen and sophomores. Our debate bootcamp is really to see how dedicated they are, because it’s at 8:30 in the morning on a Saturday. It’s intense because it’s a lot of explanation and rules all in about three hours.”

The bootcamp will also consist of Absher and Stewart teaching the basics of debate, as well as some mock debates between returning members. According to Absher, this bootcamp, as well as some research over many topics, will be the preparation for the first competition.

“In parliamentary debate, you have 15 minutes to prep, and it could be on any topic in the whole world,” Absher said. “So, we need to know a little bit about a lot of stuff. That’s what my class is doing. It’s just getting the team ready.”