Debating to the top Students quallify for nationals in policy debate

Words by | Chloe Nickelson

This year, four people in policy debate qualified for Nationals; Juniors Indiana Grotheer, Seth Loudermilk, Savannah Grotheer, and Eve Moss.

“Nationals is really cool because it’s the elite of the elite. In order to go to that tournament you have to qualify and so you’re competing against kids from New York, California, North Dakota, and Texas,” debate teacher and coach Julie Laflen said. “Just to be in one location where everyone has the same love for the program is such a cool experience. It’s very competitive.”

The end of this debate season marks 14 years as a debate teacher and coach for Laflen.

“I’ve always loved communicating,” Laflen said. ”I love talking to people. I love helping people find their voice.”

For all of the qualifiers it is their third year in the debate program. The qualifiers all started debate their freshman year and have continued throughout highschool.

“We have progressed, one of our coaches [Garrett Stalder] told us at the very first tournament that our hard work would pay off,” Loudermilk said.” We have gone 5-0 multiple times and we’ve qualified for nationals. It’s been really good.”

Throughout this year, the debate program has not only had students qualify for nationals, but the debaters have won a state trophy this year as well.

“We took third at state,” Laflen said, “We went home with another state trophy for the third year in a row. Alexia Lunday and Trent Toth placed third.”

With the new debate season, 26 new novices joined the debate program.

“It’s amazing. It’s great seeing the people that are definitely going to stick it out till the end,” Grotheer said. ”There are novices that you will be able to form a deeper connection with; it’s really great.”

“I decided to start my own business because I really enjoy the art of photography,” Poling said. “My friends and family pushed me to start my own business because they believed in my work so much.”

Poling having her own business has provided opportunities to learn about managing her finances, contracts, taxes, communication, and collaboration. According to Cummings, this will all be helpful to her as she advances in her field.

“Owning her own business has given her the freedom to create her own work schedule,” Cummings said. “She’s learned to become flexible when things are beyond her control and has developed a strong work ethic.”

Poling has many aspirations for her photography career as her abilities to improve continue to develop.

“I would eventually love to move to the city and shoot editorial and creative concepts there,” Poling said. “However my ultimate dream is to be a tour photographer and travel around the world jamming out to music and photographing the show.”

“I use a lot of things that my mentor helped me with last year along with all the other seniors or upperclassmen that I’ve had,” Kermashek said. “I even learned things from novices all the time. I can use those to my advantage and I can help them and pass these things on. That’s something that I really enjoy about being in debate.”

“All of our older kids mentor the novices and I think it’s amazing. Last year as a sophomore I mentored Andrea Rudea. She’s one of my greatest friends now. This year, I also mentored. I’m super great friends with the girls that we’ve mentored. So I think it’s really great to pass on the knowledge that you have down to other people and then they pass it down.”

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Each novice had a mentor or mentors that were there to provide assistance, advice, and encouragement throughout the season. One of the novices, freshman Zoe Goode, had mentors Grace Cho and Hannah Brown.

“[The mentors] were helping us prepare and on the day of the first tournament they gave us questions and advice,” Goode said. “They’ve just made it a lot easier, especially at the beginning of the season.”

With the closing of this year’s debate season, many awards were given out to the debaters. One of the awards given out was novice debater of the year, except this year there were two winners as opposed to one like the previous years. This year’s winners were freshman Cannon Loughmiller and Goode.

“I’m really excited,” Goode said. “I was really excited about that because my older sister also won so it’s kind of a legacy.”

After a novice’s first year, the second-years become mentors to the next year’s novices. This year, sophomore and second-year debater Norah Kermashek was a first year mentor.

“Some of the third-years have also had the experience of mentoring this year and the previous. According to Indiana Grotheer, mentoring can give you some great friendships and bonds.

Art by | Ava Carper

“All of our older kids mentor the novices and I think it’s amazing. Last year as a sophomore I mentored Andrea Rudea. She’s one of my greatest friends now,” Grotheer said. “This year, I also mentored. I’m super great friends with the girls that we’ve mentored. So I think it’s really great to pass on the knowledge that you have down to other people and then they pass it down.”

According to the debaters there are many positives to being a part of the debate program.

“There are many benefits that debate has not only in high school and just having fun but also in the real world and the skills that you can actually get from it,” Kermashek said. “I’m able to be myself and I’m able to be much more confident and I’m learning speaking skills. It’s not only going to help me in my debate and forensics career, but also help me later on in life.”

According to many of the debaters, if there is someone who is thinking about joining they should join and give it a try.

“Debate seems very intimidating. You will put in a lot of effort.” said Loudermilk, “But, it’s very rewarding, especially after the first or second year, it’s just very nice if you stick with it.”

Grotheer has plans to be a part of the debate program until she graduates.

“It’s something that’s incredibly life changing if you really like it.” said Grotheer, “If you want to do it, just give it a shot.”