![“When I first started [Speech and Debate], I struggled with competing, finding time for it [and] managing my time. I focused so much on the competition aspect and trying to win tournaments, that I kept overlooking the parts like building connections with people, [and] making friends. I would stress myself out. I started planning my time for when I could do things. Practicing more helped, because the more I practiced, the better I got in competition. It didn't seem as scary or as hard as it was before. When I first started, the whole thing about debate is that you're not always going to win, and there's a lot of people that wish they were in your position just winning one time. It's best not to focus on that, and to focus on if you're improving from last time.” - Ryan Shabani, 11](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/unnamed-2-1200x800.jpg)
Ryan Shabani
Yusra Khan, Staff Writer
• December 16, 2024
![“I'm 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 I've 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, Opinions/A&E Editor
• November 14, 2023

Speech and Debate
Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief
• December 22, 2020

Speech and Debate team host Parkway’s first online debate tournament
Thomas Bruns, Opinions/A&E editor
• December 10, 2020

Alumnus Stuart Portman takes an unconventional path to work at the U.S. Senate
Ridwan Oyebamiji, Features Section Editor
• January 30, 2020

Sexism in speech and debate: competitive speakers’ fight for their voice
Tyler Kinzy, Managing Editor-in-Chief
• September 11, 2019

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, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief
• 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, Managing Editor-in-Chief
• October 2, 2018