Neosho, MO – The Crowder College Speech and Debate Team traveled to Marshall, Missouri last weekend to attend the Missouri Association of Forensic Tournaments (MAFA) state tournament, hosted by Missouri Valley College. Among the entered schools were regional community college rivals State Fair and Kansas City Kansas Community College as well as 4-year institutions from around the Midwest including University of Central Missouri, Webster University, Missouri State University, Park University, Missouri Valley College, Northwest Missouri State University, Southwest Baptist University, Truman State University, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, McKendree University, and Illinois College. The team was represented by Bront Boley, Kalyn Finley, Tessa Shaw, and John Winnett who competed in eleven distinct events and finished in the top 10 in eight of the events. The results were as follows:
John Winnett – 6th place overall speaker in IPDA debate engaging topics such as student loan debt and alternative energy development. John also placed in the top 10 in Communication Analysis.
Tessa Shaw – Top 10 in all five of her event: 5th in Poetry Reading, 5th in Program of Oral Interpretation, 4th in Dramatic Interpretation, and in the top ten in Persuasion and Prose Speaking. Her performances covered the topics of mental health, the dangers of social media advice, secondary trauma and its effects on young people, and the historical use of witchcraft as a means to persecute women.
Kalyn Finley – 7th place in Original Oratory with her speech encouraging us to embrace our inner child. Kalyn also placed in the top 10 in novice IPDA debate and After Dinner Speaking.
Bront Boley – 3rd place ranking in his second preliminary round in Impromptu Speaking. Though he did not advance it was clear success is in his future, being a newcomer to the team. He was also invaluable in prepping our debaters for rounds of competition.
“This is an incredibly impressive showing and one of the best in team history,” stated Kristen Stout, Speech & Debate Instructor. “You can catch the team at three more competitions this season including an online invitational in late February, an asynchronous recorded tournament in March, and Phi Ro Pi Nationals (Community College Nationals) live in Washington, D.C. in April”.
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