Texas High Speech & Debate Students Take Top Postions in UIL Regional

Big Congratulations to these local students! Texas High School Speech & Debate students participated in the UIL Regional Student Congress meet in Pittsburg, TX on November 12.

Team member Doug Kyles placed 4th and will serve as a First Alternate to the State meet.

Macy Sloan placed 6th and won the Gavel for Top Presiding Officer of the District 5A Chamber (2nd year in a row), which is voted upon by all competitors within the 5A District.

Students are coached by Amy Kemp.

According to a press release, the District Student Congress program is an individual contest, in a large group setting, that models the legislative process of democracy, specifically, the United States Congress.

Within the mock legislative assembly competition, contestants draft legislation (proposed laws and position statements) submitted to the tournament, and they research the docket of bills and resolutions dealing with real-world social and political policies prior to the contest to prepare their speeches.

At the tournament, students caucus in committees, deliver formal disclosure on the merits and disadvantages of each piece of legislation, and vote to pass or defeat the measures they have examined. Parliamentary procedure forms structure for the discourse, and students extemporaneously respond to others’ arguments over the course of a session.

Judges evaluate contestants for their research and analysis of issues, argumentation, skill in asking and answering questions, use of parliamentary procedure and clarity and fluency of speaking.