Doubling Down in Speech and Debate

The 2024-25 Speech and Debate season kicked off with double the team and double the determination here in Polson with the team aiming for higher placements and stronger goals, as well as places in the state rankings. Chloe Anderson, one of the two senior captains, boasted about gathering members on the team as a proud achievement and fulfilled goal. She said that when she “first joined the team freshman year, the team had maybe six people, and now it’s up to thirteen.”

Speech and debate are two different events, so this activity offers something for everyone. Both types of events are dissected into various categories, including Dramatic Interpretation, Humorous Interpretation, and Duo Interpretation on the speech side, while Lincoln Douglas and Public Forum Debate are the two primary categories of debate. 

Bethany Butler, the team’s other captain, sees the community as a “second family.” Butler enjoys both the connection it gives her to other schools and colleagues as well as the fun and enticing college opportunities. Anderson, agreed with Butler’s opinion, and said that “everyone at meets is very supportive of each other. Even if you get there and don’t do your best, they’re still going to walk up to you and tell you they liked your piece.”

In the end, Speech and Debate focuses around a club/sport built to develop critical thinking, public speaking skills, and have students focus cumulative research, memorization, and passion. Butlersaid, “Speech and Debate isn’t something you should blow off. Debaters should know their topic, and speakers try new forms of different presentations.” From local, and state to national levels, it endeavors to be an activity builds communities, friendships, and ranges from legislative ideals to philosophical creativity. “Speech and Debate offers something for everyone and anyone,” Hugh Kingery, the assistant coach to the team said, adding, “Just do it! You’ll have a lot of fun.” 

While the team enjoys their community and its dynamics, they also enjoy winning. The team is making efforts to have more “sweeps,”  said Anderson. The goal they had  was to place better and higher consecutively against other teams, quoting their own passionate goal of placing their members in higher ratings. 

Kingery noted that his students were “aspiring for everyone to make it to state.” As he praised them, the coach praised the community as well. “There’s a lot of support, both from the students on the other teams, the workshops we attend, as well as other competitors around the state.  Everybody is trying to bring out the best in everybody else, and it really has created a unique and beautiful culture for Speech and Debate across the state.” 

The team lived up to this legacy with their recent performance at the state competition in Laurel on January 31, with some of the team’s students taking top ten. Tristan Butler placed fourth in Humorous Interpretation, Xander Becker placed sixth in Dramatic Interpretation, and Anderson eighth in Humorous Interpretation. Furthermore,  Dixie Montgomery placed tenth in Dramatic Interpretation, Montgomery and Anderson placed tenth in Duo Interpretation, and     Daisy Anderson placed tenth in Program Oral Interpretation, with Becker and Butler off to the national qualifers on January 14.

From high placers and persistent effort, to the time and commitment these students made, they have accomplished many feats. In the words of Anderson, “It’s a close community, and if you’re looking for something chill and fun, it’s a good place to be. Anyone is welcome to join next year.”