DEBATE-KC had its most intense week of competition in league history by hosting three tournaments in just four days. All told DKC had 392 entries at the three tournaments with students giving 944 speeches. On Tuesday, February 2nd DKC middle schools converged on Sumner Academy for an invigorating evening of debate. Those same schools turned around and did battle again on Friday, February 5th at the Kauffman School. Sandwiched in-between was a high school weeknight tournament at Central Academy of Excellence on February 4th.
DKC has never hosted three tournaments in one week before. “The Sumner tournament was pushed back because of bad weather and we ended up running 25% of our tournament season in one week,” said Isaac Allen DKC Program Director. “It was a very intense but fun week. Judges, mentors, coaches and of course students all demonstrated their hard work and commitment to this activity by making these tournaments a huge success,” said Mr. Allen.
At the two middle school tournaments debaters honed their arguments in preparation for City Championships at the end of the month. The bill to ban tackle football was the most hotly debate issue in middle school student congress accounting for nearly 40% of the speeches at both tournaments. While argumentation in policy debate continued to develop as the young debater dive deeper and deeper into this year’s topic of government surveillance.
The high school tournament marked the first time DKC has hosted at Central Academy of Excellence in more than four years. “It was nice but strange to be back in Central after so many years away,” commented Jane Rinehart, current coach of University Academy who had a Hall of Fame Career as the head coach of Central for more than a decade.
New Central Academy coach Thomasena Armstrong has helped reboot the dormant program. “We are really happy to have a program going again at Central. We were so glad to host our first tournament back. It helped our new debaters see what a tournament was all about. Rebooting the program has not been easy finding a budget for bussing is a big obstacle. This was a way to bring the competition to us with the help of DKC,” Ms. Armstrong said of the tournament.
All said and done the DKC community had an amazing week of competition. Nearly 400 kids from all over the city gathered to debate important issues of the day in a calm academic and respectful manor.
Full results of all three tournaments below:
Sumner Middle School Tournament Winners List
Novice Congress House A
- Turner Middle, Erika Ortiz
- Foreign Language Academy, Kelesey Garcia
- Foreign Language Academy, Ramon Ortiz Serrano
- Central Middle, Luis Aguilara
- Turner Middle, Aalijah Johnson
Varsity Congress House A
- Sumner Academy, Amaya Dajani
- Ashlynn Freeman
- Lee A. Tolbert Community Academy, Marquies Johnson
- Foreign Language Academy, Victor Gutierrez
- Rosedale Middle, Leona Whalen
Varsity Congress House B
- Lee A. Tolbert Community Academy, Erika Scott
- Arrowhead Middle, Kimberly Ownes
- Arrowhead Middle, Sa’Mya Lewis
- Arrowhead Middle, Kyra Duwe
- Lee A. Tolbert Community Academy, Logan Bates
Varsity Congress House C
- Sumner Academy, Kasandra, Guerra
- Turner Middle, Cyra Chronister
- Smith – Hale Middle, Cardon Bolen
- Sumner Academy, Amari Lewis
- Turner Middle, Rosa Reyes
Varsity Congress House D
Northwest, Nasir Muhammd
- Coronado Middle, Donesha Harrison
- Turner Middle, Michelle Smith
- Northwest Middle, Erick Grajeda Galvan
- Turner Middle, Chyler Backstrom
6th Grade Policy Debate Speakers
- University Academy, Jamaiyah Amerison
- Coronado Middle, Issis Banks Bush
- Arrowhead Middle, Quincey Brown
Novice Policy Debate Speakers
- Barstow School, Saketh Balmoori
- Barstow School, Tommy Tietjen
- Arrowhead Middle, Jaclyn Lawrence
- Barstow School, Portia Strautman
- Barstow School, Sunil Reiland
Varsity Policy Speakers
- Kauffman School, Donovan Herron
- Barstow School, Ali Yoon
- Barstow School, Amanda Munsell
- Barstow School, Phoebe Brous
- Barstow School, Miles Luce
6th Grade Policy Debate Teams
- University Academy, Jaeda Davis & Jamaiyah Amerison
- Coronado Middle, Issis Banks Bush & Lisa Calhoun
Novice Teams Policy Debate
- Barstow School, Sunil Reiland & Kaketh Balmoori
- Barstow School, Tommy Tietjen & Meghana Lakireddy
- Barstow School, Portia Strautman & Molly Langdon
- Northwest Middle, Adella Birdwell & Justice Thompson
- Barstow School, Sebastian Newman & Rishi Malay
Varsity Teams Policy Debate
- Barstow School, Ali Yoon & Amanda Munsell
- Barstow School, Phoebe Brous & Jaqueline Tingle
- Kauffman School, Donnavan Herron & Payton Earl
- Barstow School, Henery Bush & Mark Lopatofsky
- Barstow School, Ajay Guduputi & Ryan Lang
Sweepstakes Team Awards
- Sumner Academy
- Barstow School
- Arrowhead Middle
Kauffman Middle School Tournament
Chamber A
- Coronado Middle School, Aubrey Her
- Northwest Middle School, Erick Grajeda Galvan
- Rosedale Middle School, Jennifer Paez
- Coronado Middle School, Donesha Harrison
- Foreign Language Academy, Victor Gutierrez
Chamber B
- Coronado Middle School, Keiki Collins
- Turner Middle School, Quincey Murray
- Foreign Language Academy, Tracey Thomas
- Central Middle School, Luis Agulara
- Turner Middle School, Cyra Chronister
- West Middle School, Emily Chacon
Chamber C
- Turner Middle School, Bridget Vogan
- Turner Middle School, Sabrina Whalen
- Smith Hale Middle School, Cardon Bolen
- Turner Middle School, Laura Ramirez
- Turner Middle School, Valeria Beltran
Chamber D
Varsity
- Turner Middle School, Andrew Lechliter
- Northwest Middle School, Nasir Muhammad
- Northwest Middle School, Aaron Johnson
Novice Break Out
- Foreign Language Academy, Adalah Edmond
- Benjarmin Banneker Charter Academy, Osa Ehictre
6th Grade Policy Speakers
- University Academy, Jamaiyah Amerison
- University Academy, Izrael Todd
- Foreign Language Academy, Connor Stanley
6th Grade Policy Teams
- University Academy, A’Mylah Long & Izrael Todd
- Foreign Language Academy, Connor Stanley & Christopher Frye
Novice Policy Speakers
- Barstow School, Jack Hanson
- Foreign Language Academy, Martha Delatorre
- Barstow School, Sam Singleton
- Barstow School, Tommy Tiejen
- Barstow School. Albert Parker
Novice Policy Teams
- Barstow School, Sam Singleton & Albert Park
- Barstow School, Tommy Tiejen & Meghana Lakireddy
- Barstow School, Jack Hanson & John Lubianetsky
- Barstow School, Portia Strautman & Molly Langdon
- Barstow School, Noah Waldman & Sunil Reiland
Varsity Policy Speaker
- Barstow School, Aasim Hawa
- Smith Hale Middle School, Yusuf Khan
- Barstow School, Mile Luce
- Smith Hale Middle School, Andrew Frazier
- Central Middle, Karla Villalobos
Varsity Policy Teams
- Barstow School, Aasim Hawa & Miles Luce
- Barstow School, Rishi Malay & Sebastian Newman
- Barstow School, Ali Yoon & Lexi Dixon
- Barstow School, Ryan Lang & Phoebe Brous
- Barstow School, Henery Bash & Mark Lopatofsky
Sweepstakes
- Barstow School
- Turner Middle School
- Coronado Middle School
Central Academy of Excellence Results
Novice Policy Speakers
- University Academy, Raven LaBerrie
- Lincoln Prep, Grace Davis
- Kauffman School, Jacob Esquivel
Novice Policy Teams
- University Academy, Bernadette Looney & Jordan Foster
- University Academy Je’Nique Graham & Raven LaBerrie
Varsity Policy Speakers
- Lincoln Prep, Bria Walters
- Lincoln Prep, Sakina Bhatti
- Lincoln Prep, Chebet Bucker
Varsity Policy Teams
- Lincoln Prep, Sakina Bhatti & Bria Walters
- University Academy, Alexis Tolbert & Jazmyne Smith
Congress House A
- J.C. Harmon, Ivan Bueso
- Center High School, Besong, Kate
- J.C. Harmon, Vilmer Alvarado
- University Academy, Yahntay Martin
- Center High School, Searcy, Kale’
Congress House B
- Southwest High School, Jobe Tunis
- University Academy, Arsema Barhane
- University Academy, Samiah Hafiz
- University Academy, Jordan Sanders
- University Academy, Thomeira Clark
Team Sweepstakes
- University Academy
- Lincoln Prep
- J.C. Harmon
Average Rating