The 2010-2011 Parker School Debate Team: Thomas Baldwin, Nick Abarcar, Corey Patton, Hayden Cross, Jesse Tarnas, Anna Moritz, Cary Hoy, Victoria Andrade-McKeehan, Zen Kuriyama, Aidan Wharton, Paul Gregg, Maddie Nelson, Tyler McCullough, Doc Sturges, Emilie Skladzien, Annie Sturges, Cara Nair, Kieran Najita, Lysha Matsunobu, Sierra Manker. (Photo courtesy of Parker School)

MEDIA RELEASE

Dressed in business suits, nineteen Parker School Debate team members boarded the bus at 4 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 2 in Waimea and headed to the airport to catch the first flight of the day to Oahu.

The team spent weeks preparing speeches and evidence for their cases, and were now on their way to participate in the first tournament of the school year, the Hawaii Speech League Non-Qualifying Tournament at Le Jardin Academy in Kailua.

The other 12 schools competing in the tournament were Punahou, Iolani, Kamehameha, Kahuku High School, Le Jardin, St. Andrews Priory, University Lab School, McKinley High School, Hanalani School, Damien Memorial, Leilehua High School, and the only other Big Island school, Christian Liberty.

Parker School came in second overall, after Punahou, for total number of wins in all categories: 49 wins out of 14 different entries over 3 rounds.

Certificates were awarded to 15 of 19 Parker School students who won over half their rounds including Victoria Andrade-McKeehan, Hayden Cross, Paul Gregg, Zen Kuriyama, Sierra Manker, Lysha Matsunobu, Tyler McCullough, Cara Nair, Kieran Najita, Maddie Nelson, Corey Patton, Emilie Skladzien, Annie Sturges, Jesse Tarnas and Aidan Wharton.

Rookie team member, Tyler McCullough was undefeated in all six debates while veteran members Jesse Tarnas, Kieran Najita, Annie Sturges and Victoria Andrade-McKeehan won five out of six of their debates.

The team is now preparing for the second event of the year Nov. 13 – Kahuku Debate Non-Qualifying Tournament.

Parker School will host the Neighbor Island Speech and Debate Qualifying Tournament on Jan. 14-15.

If you are interested in volunteering to be a community judge, contact Ann at 885-7933 x 107 or visit www.parkerschool.net