![“Im very passionate about debating, [which is why] I am [a member of the] speech and debate team. I like how it offers opportunities to speak [from] viewpoints on different opinions with people outside of our group from other schools around our communities. I usually participate in public forum debates [and] the topic [we speak about] changes every month. One debate that I was most invested in [took place in] February; which was [about whether or not] the US federal government should ban all single use plastics. I feel like I spent the most time working on this case [than any other discussion], and I was determined to make it into finals. I hold competition very dear to me. I have only gone to two tournaments so far, but Ive already made it into the finals. [Finals are important because], I think it really shows how much growth and [effort you’ve put in through the battle].” - Bethany Liao, 9](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bethany-L-1200x800.jpg)
Bethany Liao
Emma Barton, CJ1 Writer
• April 11, 2024
![Senior Dana Zafarani poses in paint reading “Women, Life, Freedom” and “#BarayeAzadi” as a protest against the Iranian government. The experiences of Iranian women inspired Zafarani to assist in any effort to protect women’s rights. “The world should live in peace. Every woman deserves to be equal. Every woman deserves love [and] kindness,” Zafarani said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Screenshot-2023-10-31-12.54.47-PM.png)
Woman, Life, Freedom
Will Gonsior, Staff Writer
• November 14, 2023
![Speech and Debate](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Club-Guide-Labels-6.jpg)
Speech and Debate
Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief
• December 22, 2020
![Staying six feet apart, senior Laura Young collaborates with fellow teammates in order to run a smooth and efficient tournament. Young was part of the several students selected by Borgsmiller to go to the library and run the online tournament in-person. “While it made communication harder, it was really nice to be able to see my teammates, even from a distance,” Young said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/DSC_0021-900x600.jpg)
Speech and Debate team host Parkway’s first online debate tournament
Thomas Bruns, Staff Writer
• December 10, 2020
![Posing for the photo, alumnus Stuart Portman smiles for the camera. Portman has been working at the U.S. Senate for over six years. “It’s a really cool role because there’s only one of me, so I really focus my coursework and my studies on Medicaid and low-income insurance programs so that I could continue learning. It just so happened to have been to this path,” Portman said. “Ive been in the Senate for about five years, and I’ve been in this role for two and a half.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/stuart-900x649.jpg)
Alumnus Stuart Portman takes an unconventional path to work at the U.S. Senate
Ridwan Oyebamiji, Features Editor
• January 30, 2020
![Making final adjustments during practice, junior Fatema Rehmani prepares for the Randy Pierce Winter Classic at Pattonville High School Dec. 7, 2018. Rehmani competed in Program Oral Interpretation, an event in which students incorporate various selections of literature into a 10 minute performance. “This year, I explored some different events in speech and debate, and I’m so grateful for all of the various experiences I’ve gained,” Rehmani said. “But I have noticed there are definitely expectations for certain events or debate in regards to whether it’s for guys or for girls, which is sometimes limiting and frustrating.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Fatema-debate-long-form-1-900x600.jpg)
Sexism in speech and debate: competitive speakers’ fight for their voice
Tyler Kinzy, Deputy Managing EiC
• September 11, 2019
![Seniors Gokul Venkatachalam, Kristina Humphrey and Luke Donovan pose with their plaques from the district tournament. Venkatachalam will go to nationals in the “Policy Debate” event and Humphrey and Donovan will compete in the “Duo Interpretation” event. “I’ve never been to the national tournament before,” Humphrey said. “I know it’s very competitive because you’re competing against a bunch of national qualifiers. I hope we can do well, and I doubt we’ll make the final stage, but we’re going to try as hard as we can.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/debate-nationals-900x600.jpg)
Debate team has emotional return to nationals
Peyton Gaskill, Staff Writer
• May 14, 2019
![During the awards ceremony of the 2019 Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Speech and Debate tournament, seniors Luke Donovan and Kristina Humphrey await their names to be announced with their placement. Donavon and Humphrey qualified for state in the duet event and placed second overall in the tournament. “I stayed in speech and debate [for four years] because the team and people from other teams in the district are like my second family. While competition can be brutal, it’s worth it to be with the amazing people in Eastern Missouri,” Humphrey said. “Speech has made me grow as a person significantly. It has given me the opportunity to spread important messages through unique ways of conveying them.” Photo by Fatema Rehmani.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/DSC_0123-900x600.jpg)
Debate team dominates districts tournaments
Fatema Rehmani, Staff Writer
• April 4, 2019
![Juniors Rithvik Karthikeyan and Connor Olliff arrange trophies in the debate classroom after school Sept. 24. Olliff hopes that by replacing trophies with random objects, the team can best honor alumni Haran Kumar. We’ve had to think about how we can better remember one of our graduates, and we want to hold [the tournament] in his honor, Olliff said. We’re trying a lot harder to make it perfect this year so it’s in perfect remembrance of him.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/DSC_0196-900x600.jpg)
Speech and debate team honors Haran Kumar through tournament
Kathryn McAuliffe, Convergent Media Writer
• October 2, 2018
![With a trophy in hand, speech and debate coach Cara Borgsmiller congratulates senior Cheryl Ma. She alongside fellow senior Ryan OConnor qualified for the 2018 National Speech & Debate Tournament in public forum debate after going undefeated at the Eastern Missouri district tournament. “It was really exciting. It was different than it is for most people because Ryan and I were undefeated the whole tournament, so they decided [we qualified] automatically even before the actual awards were announced since we were the only undefeated team,” Ma said. “We found out before the actual awards ceremony, so it relieved a lot of pressure because usually people are very anxious during awards.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/DSC_0408-900x600.jpg)
Four students prepare for upcoming National Speech & Debate Tournament
Tyler Kinzy, Staff Writer
• May 10, 2018
TRENDING STORIES
TRENDING STORIES