JACKSON HOLE, WYO – The Jackson Hole Speech and Debate team this past week took six qualifying members to a national competition where they acquitted themselves well.
Seniors Aaron Trauner and Ellie Dunn, joined juniors Samantha Smith and Thomas Mercer, along with sophomores Jake Todd and Maleah Tuttle, to represent the Wind River NSDA District at the National Speech and Debate Association’s National Tournament, held June 18-22 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
The team is coached by Londe and Peggy Gagnon. This is the 21st consecutive year the team has qualified students for the national meet. The national tournament hosted 22 different speech and debate events with over 3,500 competitors. It is the largest academic competition in the world.
Trauner and Smith competing in Public Forum Debate, performed very well. They narrowly missed the break to the top 60 by one ballot. They finished with a 7-5 record. They argued for and against the resolution: On balance, the benefits of US. participation in the North American free trade agreement outweigh the consequences.
Smith went on to make it past the first cut in Expository Speaking with her speech on the social compellingness theory. Trauner advanced to round 6 of Extemporaneous Debate. He finished in the top 172 in the event that started with nearly 800 competitors.
Dunn and Mercer performed solidly in Duet Interpretation performing their State Championship piece, “Jerry Finnegan’s Sister” by Jack Neary. They performed quite well in supplemental events as well.
Dunn reached round 5 of Extemporaneous Debate. In the double elimination event, (any break past the second round is quite impressive). Mercer made it past the first cut in Expository Speaking and went on to make it past the first cut in Storytelling as well.
Todd performed very well in Dramatic Interpretation, narrowly missing the break to top 60 in a field of 248 competitors. He also made it past two cuts in the single elimination rounds of Storytelling, finishing in the top third of the event.
Tuttle joined four other Speech and Debate members from the Wind River District to compete in World Schools Debate. The team made it past the first break in the event to finish in the top third of the nation.
Coach Londe Gagnon stated, “All six competitors represented JHHS well and worked together as a group to advance. Their strength of character, teamwork and solidarity brought out the best in each of them. We, as coaches, could not be more proud and we look forward to watching the team grow even more next season.”
