BY DAN HILDEBRAN
The Clay County School Board recognized Keystone Heights High School’s debate and speech team during the board’s September 5 meeting.
Principal Laurie Burke credited Shannon Southam for launching the program.
“A couple of years ago,” she told board members, “Ms. Southam came to me and said, can I start a speech and debate club? And I was like, well, how do you do that?”
Like a track meet
Burke recalled that once she green-lighted Southam’s idea, the coach took the initiative to launch the team.
“She was awesome,” the principal said. “She found the resources for it and had contacts with that. Next thing you know, two years in, we’ve been to the national tournament, the second time this past summer, and we have a huge tournament coming that we’re going to host for the first time at Keystone in February.”
Burke added that the February regional tournament will have around 300 participants.
Southam told board members that the team started with four members and now has 25.
She said the competitions resemble a track meet, with team members competing in individual events with their points contributing to the team totals. The matches also feature team events.
The coach added that her squad holds memberships in the Florida Civic and Debate Initiative under the Florida Department of Education, the National Catholic Forensic League, the Florida Forensic League, and the National Speech and Debate Association.
“We’re part of so many different organizations,” Southam said. “It’s not just competing for these kids. This is an honor society, so they earn different degrees and levels every time they compete, and every time they volunteer, they get different levels of accomplishments.”
“We’re doing it’
The coach said two team members competed in the National Catholic League tournament in Louisville, Kentucky, and three qualified, while two competed in the National Speech and Debate Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa.
The two team members who traveled to Kentucky were Mikayla Turner, who competed in oral interpretation of literature, and Olivia McCoy, who took part in congressional debate.
The pair that traveled to the Hawkeye State was junior high student Seth Preseau and senior high team member Benjamin Mann. Both competed in impromptu speaking, an event Southam described as “crazy.”
“They get a quote, (and) they have a total of seven minutes,” the coach said. “Once they get that quote, I tell my students about a minute and a half of prep, and the rest of it is speech time. So, they hit that time on the mark, seven minutes. They’re very good at timing themselves and making sure that they are able to articulate the meaning of the quote.”
The coach said her team also competes in Lincoln-Douglas debate, policy deliberations, and other formats.
“Whatever debate you could possibly think of that’s out there, we’re doing it,” Southam declared. “Same thing with speech. We’re doing impromptu extemporaneous speaking, dramatic performance, oral interpretation of literature, and original oratory.”
The coach said the skills developed in competitive communication help students in a wide range of academic disciplines, as well as test-taking skills and confidence building.
