Speech & Debate Tournament

ACADEMICS & DEBATE S P E E C H

By Brad Thew

Speech, Debate, and Rhetoric Chair

On one Thursday evening in December 2003, I found myself sitting on the living room floor in my parents’ house, surrounded by a collection of notes and research articles, several philosophy books, and a notebook in which arguments I hoped were brilliant had been synthesized. Like thousands of debate students across the county that night, my goal was to create the cases that would both stump and mystify my opponents, but also move judges and audiences alike. Considering the contemporary political climate and global tensions of the time, the topic on “The morality of US involvement in international conflicts” was especially prescient. By the end of that night, I had created cases that explicated the ethics of the value proposition, meandering between Kierkegaard in one case and Kant in the other.

That evening was a seminal time for me, although it didn’t feel it back then. As a teenager, it felt as if I were preparing for a tournament just like any other school activity I would attend. In reality, my experience that weekend sparked an interest

that would guide me into becoming the person I am today. Speech and Debate, collectively known as Forensics, offers its participants opportunities to critically engage with their world in ways that are difficult to replicate in any other setting. It is my belief that the skills promoted in the activity are more necessary today than ever before.

Students at Seattle Academy are afforded the opportunity to participate in both Speech and Debate, and our program carries a long and storied tradition of success. Debaters from SAAS have won a variety of titles in Student Congress and Public Forum debate, and our Speech students over the years have some of the winningest records at the competitors is committed to furthering this goal, and we have ambitious initiatives to help support these goals. Middle School debate has officially begun. Upper School debate students attended their first national circuit tournaments in New Orleans and Portland this year where several students cleared to the elimination rounds. Speech and Debate students competed at the Harvard University Invitational in February. Additionally, our annual Seattle Academy Invitational Debate Tournament in October expanded from a speechonly tournament to an inclusive speech and debate tournament, which was a marked success. Over 500 students, representing thirty-seven schools

“To pretend, I actually do the thing: I have therefore only pretended to pretend.” —Jacques Derrida

state tournament. This year, however, we have reintroduced a form of debate to SAAS: Lincoln Douglas (LD) debate. LD is a unique form of debate within the activity because it centers itself in the domains of ethics and morality, rather than delving with laser-like focus into policy proposals. Students in Lincoln Douglas regularly immerse themselves in philosophy, history, linguistics, and humanities. For me, reintroducing this event at SAAS is a labor of love, in that I’m able to share my experience in this type of debate with a new group of students. The tapestry that is our Forensics program is enhanced by this addition as well, and students are given the opportunity to find events that will best allow them to share their voice.

Speech and Debate students embrace and exercise critical civic skills, and they do so with the intention of spreading their message to others. That SAAS promotes the activity as it does is a testament to the Culture of Performance that is cultivated in our community. Each of our and three states and provinces, attended the tournament, making for SAAS’s largest Forensics tournament ever, and it is expected to have been the largest tournament in the state this season.

I’m proud of what our students have accomplished so far this year, but more than that, I’m impressed, just as I always am, with what Forensics students are able to bring to the table. When a student makes the difficult choice to try something new, to take that first step to craft and present an oration or read their new case against a tough team, they are becoming experienced rhetoricians. When a student chooses to read deep philosophy or difficult authors not because they have to, but because they want to strengthen a position, they demonstrate an infectious curiosity. And as we go forward, I look forward to strengthening the level of rhetorical excellence that is already present in our group, as we increase our recognition on the national level. Our kids are talented and ready, and we have an exciting future ahead. ☜