CV students test their talk at debate tourney

It was stifling hot June 1 in the classrooms at the University Center. But more than 150 seventh and eighth grade Central Valley School District students took the heat in stride.

They were more worried about their verbal skills as they competed in the district’s fourth annual middle-school debate tournament.

Even the obnoxious buzzing of the school’s bell, which at one point had some of the attendees wondering if a fire drill was about to happen, did not throw off the competitors.

“At first I didn’t know what to do,” said Grace Pariseau, “I stopped and waited. It was annoying.”

Pariseau and her teammate Kelby Gummersall, both eighth-graders at Greenacres Middle School, took home first place, competing in the finals against another team from Greenacres.

High school students from the Central Valley and University high schools coached and judged the middle-schoolers.

“They were much better than the kids were when I was in junior high,” said U-Hi senior Jared Lollar. “They were better prepared.”

Debate, said Lollar, has been his most valuable class.

“It helps you assess and analyze the validity of another’s opinion,” he said. “Also, I used to be shy but I got over it because I had to. Practicing debate helps you interact with people in general.”

Pariseau agreed “It’s good for you. It improves your speaking skills and ability to think on your feet.”

Her teammate Gummersall added, “It’s taught me to be a better speaker and how to use information to back something up.”

The debate tournament included humorous, dramatic, and dual interpretations, as well as impromptu rounds where the speaker was given 90 seconds to think about a subject and 90 seconds to discuss it. Awards were given in every category.

The participants were judged on things like poise, coherent organization, use of voice and sincerity.

Debate “encompasses the whole gamut of education – problem solving, research, teamwork. The benefits are endless,” said Nancy Rasmussen, an eighth- grade teacher at Evergreen Middle School, which sent 19 students to the tournament.

The middle-school competition gives students a taste of what lies ahead if they pursue debate in high school, said Roberta Rice, a Central Valley High School debate coach and this year’s state debate coach of the year.

“Debate is one of the only things that prepares a student for everything in life – persuasion, organizing thoughts, memorizing, selling yourself or your ideas, and even arguing – I mean debating – with your parents more productively,” she said.

But speaking in public makes the top-10 list when Americans are asked about their personal fears.

“I had a student literally faint one time as she spoke in front of her peers,” said Rice.

No one fainted June 1, though. Not even from the heat.