Sunday, February 27, 2011
Informational Meeting This Wednesday
This Wednesday night, March 2nd, at 6:30 in the Gaylord Student Center, we are hosting an informational meeting for current and prospective students interested in joining the debate team for the 2011-2012 competitive season. Members of this year's team will share a video journal of their first year as a squad, and we will discuss topics such as course requirements, summer camps, costs, tournament scheduling and travel, and other frequently asked questions. Refreshments will be provided by Rich Bean's. We hope to see everyone there!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Debate Named Honors Course
Honors Debate makes its debut in the Casady curriculum in the 2011-2012 school year. This new designation provides for a weighted GPA assignment for students in debate. In addition, we have been moved to the History and Social Sciences department, further reinforcing the status of our endeavors in the academic curriculum of the school. My hope is that as we grow, we will be able to build out a complete Speech and Forensics program within the department, to include other forms of debate and individual competitive speaking and acting events.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Teams Bring Home Winning Records from Berkeley 2011
The teams of Jake Patton/Eihab Khan and Layne Turci/Catherine White both brought home 4-2 records from the Cal Berkeley Invitational. Congratulations to both teams!
Over the course of our five-day trip, we spent two solid days debating on the Berkeley campus. "The campus was beautiful!" said Catherine White, reflecting on the many hours spent traversing Berkeley's wooded walkways and exploring its many eclectic buildings in search of rounds. The enormous Life Sciences building and picturesque tower became guide posts as we attempted to find our way around the sprawling campus in the rain. Thank goodness for paperless! I witnessed many a "tub tumble" as other teams' evidence-laden carts tipped over into muddy puddles along the winding pathways.
Note to girls: wearing comfortable, waterproof walking/hiking shoes is a definite plus, so forget fashion and pack those pumps in the backpack to change into once you get to your rounds!
Our two teams debated against teams from all over the country. All in all, they never lost on affirmative, which is pretty awesome. In one memorable round, Eihab's exceptional skills in the 2AR succeeded in convincing the judge that their perm was not, in fact, severance, and that the aff should win the round on a number of carefully enumerated points. Way to go, Eihab and Jake. For the girls, Layne and Catherine continued to perfect their skills in outweighing on at least seven extinction scenarios per round. We also touched base occasionally with Heritage Hall's team, whose top team made it to the out rounds and then lost in a split decision in double octas.
Between rounds, we found our way to some of the colorful eating establishments on and around Telegraph street, including the renowned Thai Basil in the "Asian Ghetto," and the always jam-packed Blondie's Pizza. Jake almost bought a shirt that said "The People's Republic of Berkeley" and boasted the iconic hammer and sickle, but passing up that option, forgot to buy much of anything, while the girls and I (mostly I) ended up with so many shopping bags we had trouble packing for the trip home!
Much of this shopping took place after the tournament on our sight-seeing day in San Francisco. We took the BART train into the city, then caught a bus and then a cable car over to Pier 39, where we shopped to our hearts' content, took pictures of the cute sea lions, devoured crepes, and got lost in a hall of mirrors. We then made our way up to Ghiradelli Square, where we indulged in some chocolate before catching another bus up to the Haight-Ashbury District. While on the bus, Layne and I got to practice our French conversational skills with a gregarious little French girl who gave us big hugs before disembarking with her mama and petit frere. While we were in the hippie district, the sun warmed us as we foraged through vintage clothing stores and explored art galleries. For the record, Jake never met an art gallery docent with whom he could not strike up a conversation replete with references to a wide range of literary works. The Dali versions of Dore's Dante etchings prompted one such lengthy exchange, the result of which was that, while waiting for Jake, Layne and I spent even more money in the neighboring Asian gift shop. We deserved to indulge ourselves, though, after racing one another up at least two of San Francisco's infamous hilly streets, in boots.
All in all, it was a journey full of challenges and memories. Hopefully we will be able to make the trip again next year.
Over the course of our five-day trip, we spent two solid days debating on the Berkeley campus. "The campus was beautiful!" said Catherine White, reflecting on the many hours spent traversing Berkeley's wooded walkways and exploring its many eclectic buildings in search of rounds. The enormous Life Sciences building and picturesque tower became guide posts as we attempted to find our way around the sprawling campus in the rain. Thank goodness for paperless! I witnessed many a "tub tumble" as other teams' evidence-laden carts tipped over into muddy puddles along the winding pathways.
Note to girls: wearing comfortable, waterproof walking/hiking shoes is a definite plus, so forget fashion and pack those pumps in the backpack to change into once you get to your rounds!
Our two teams debated against teams from all over the country. All in all, they never lost on affirmative, which is pretty awesome. In one memorable round, Eihab's exceptional skills in the 2AR succeeded in convincing the judge that their perm was not, in fact, severance, and that the aff should win the round on a number of carefully enumerated points. Way to go, Eihab and Jake. For the girls, Layne and Catherine continued to perfect their skills in outweighing on at least seven extinction scenarios per round. We also touched base occasionally with Heritage Hall's team, whose top team made it to the out rounds and then lost in a split decision in double octas.
Between rounds, we found our way to some of the colorful eating establishments on and around Telegraph street, including the renowned Thai Basil in the "Asian Ghetto," and the always jam-packed Blondie's Pizza. Jake almost bought a shirt that said "The People's Republic of Berkeley" and boasted the iconic hammer and sickle, but passing up that option, forgot to buy much of anything, while the girls and I (mostly I) ended up with so many shopping bags we had trouble packing for the trip home!
Much of this shopping took place after the tournament on our sight-seeing day in San Francisco. We took the BART train into the city, then caught a bus and then a cable car over to Pier 39, where we shopped to our hearts' content, took pictures of the cute sea lions, devoured crepes, and got lost in a hall of mirrors. We then made our way up to Ghiradelli Square, where we indulged in some chocolate before catching another bus up to the Haight-Ashbury District. While on the bus, Layne and I got to practice our French conversational skills with a gregarious little French girl who gave us big hugs before disembarking with her mama and petit frere. While we were in the hippie district, the sun warmed us as we foraged through vintage clothing stores and explored art galleries. For the record, Jake never met an art gallery docent with whom he could not strike up a conversation replete with references to a wide range of literary works. The Dali versions of Dore's Dante etchings prompted one such lengthy exchange, the result of which was that, while waiting for Jake, Layne and I spent even more money in the neighboring Asian gift shop. We deserved to indulge ourselves, though, after racing one another up at least two of San Francisco's infamous hilly streets, in boots.
All in all, it was a journey full of challenges and memories. Hopefully we will be able to make the trip again next year.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
St. Mark's Novice Round-Up Sign-Ups
Please read the following notice:
Casady debaters:
Since we can only take four teams, you will need to communicate early your interest in competing. If we have more than four teams interested in going, I will prioritize based on demonstrated commitment to the team, both this year and next; team record; and order of sign-ups. Generally, this is not an event designed for graduating seniors, but I am open to discussion if seniors think they will still be interested in practicing and competing at that point in the year.
Since we will not have after-school practice times anymore after the winter term, those teams attending this tournament will need to commit to practice times during B Blocks twice per cycle and possibly a Sunday afternoon or two. This is a prestigious tournament, and we want to do the best we possibly can.
In addition, we will need a parent to accompany us as a sponsor and driver of the second vehicle. The schedule is as follows:
11:00 am Round 5
1:00 pm Lunch in the debate room
2:00 pm Announcement of elimination round participants and speaker awards
3:00 pm Semifinals
5:00 pm Finals
We will plan to return to OKC on Saturday evening.
Thanks, and I look forward to this as a celebration of our first year as a squad.
St. Mark’s will host the Novice Round Up Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7, 2011.
We will again use a four pod round robin system with appropriate awards.
Each school may enter up to four novice policy teams. For us, novice means:
1) In their first year of policy debate
or
2) Someone who has debated at 3 or fewer policy debate tournaments
or
3) Any ninth grader
To compete they just need to fit in any of the three categories listed above. We have a pretty lenient definition of what constitutes a "novice".
Currently, we plan to limit the field to 24 teams.
Fees for each team will be $100.
A drop fee of $100 will be assessed for any entry you drop after April 30.Casady debaters:
Since we can only take four teams, you will need to communicate early your interest in competing. If we have more than four teams interested in going, I will prioritize based on demonstrated commitment to the team, both this year and next; team record; and order of sign-ups. Generally, this is not an event designed for graduating seniors, but I am open to discussion if seniors think they will still be interested in practicing and competing at that point in the year.
Since we will not have after-school practice times anymore after the winter term, those teams attending this tournament will need to commit to practice times during B Blocks twice per cycle and possibly a Sunday afternoon or two. This is a prestigious tournament, and we want to do the best we possibly can.
In addition, we will need a parent to accompany us as a sponsor and driver of the second vehicle. The schedule is as follows:
Friday May 6, 2011
3:15 pm Registration - Hoffman 112 (Debate room)
3:30 pm Pairings
4:00 pm Round 1
5:30 pm Dinner in the debate room
6:00 pm Round 2
8:00 pm Round 3
3:30 pm Pairings
4:00 pm Round 1
5:30 pm Dinner in the debate room
6:00 pm Round 2
8:00 pm Round 3
You may store your evidence in any room that debates were held in.
Saturday May 7, 2011
9:00 am Round 411:00 am Round 5
1:00 pm Lunch in the debate room
2:00 pm Announcement of elimination round participants and speaker awards
3:00 pm Semifinals
5:00 pm Finals
We will plan to return to OKC on Saturday evening.
Thanks, and I look forward to this as a celebration of our first year as a squad.
Inclement Weather Cancels Trip
I'm sorry that we cannot make it to Colleyville. The highway south to Dallas is just too slick and hazardous due to ice.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Colleyville or Bust!
Despite the weather and school closings this week, we are still on track to go to the Colleyville Heritage tournament this weekend. Please be doing your pre-tournament prep work and speaking drills. I will see you Friday morning. I will need help with the computers, so please meet in our room at 8:00 Friday morning. Maybe someone could volunteer to bring donuts for the road....??? :)
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