The U’s debate team has officially taken sixth place in the nation after a year full of achievements.
The John R. Park Debate Society is ranked second in the Pac-12, behind Oregon. In addition, two members participated in the quarterfinals of the National Parliament Tournament of Excellence, and 11 students qualified for the American Forensic Association.
Saige Miller, a freshman and society member, said the club’s success is due to their mentors.
“We have the best coaching staff in the nation,” Miller said. “A lot of it we owe to [them].”
The society does more than debate. There is a speech team where members can participate in short preparation, or prepared speeches on topics from politics to culture.
Outside of the research, each team member is required to put in a minimum of eight hours of community service. Members can fulfill this requirement by coaching practices or judging at high school tournaments. In addition, Miller said this semester the society held a debate workshop for over 100 high schoolers to prepare them for a national qualifiers tournament.
To close off a decorated year, the U will be hosting a camp for high school students to be coached by the award-winning coaches.
@JulianneSkrivan