One debate career ends while team does well at Catholic Nations
Written by Emma Titterness, Former Student on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
The SHS Debate team pulled together to bring home a few victories from the 2012 Catholic National Debate Tournament. The awarded students included Junior Jamis Barcott and Sophomore Alex Sapadin for speech, Juniors Katelin Harris and Max Zinkand for duo speech, and Junior Anna Pisac and Senior Shannon Harris for public forum debate. Pisac and Harris were not only awarded, but also were the only SHS debaters to mate it into octo-finals. The members of the octo-finals are the tournament’s top 16 Debaters; out of 214 other debate teams, the SHS debate team was extremely proud of the efforts of Pisac and Harris.
As Harris prepared for her final onstage performance, she granted herself a few seconds to reminisce on her high school debate career, “Debate has been such a wonderful experience for me, from the start to the bittersweet finish line. I know I have not only achieved many of my goals, but have also made lifelong friends,” stated Harris.
As her last tournament came to a close, Harris described and event that especially stood out in her eyes, “I will always remember when out debate team found out Anna and I had made it to the octo-finals. Most of the team was talking out in the halls of the hotel, and when we found out we all started dancing around and going crazy!” explained Harris. As the underclassmen debaters watched Harris onstage for the last time, many of their thoughts revolved around her and the legacy that she would leave, “I really tried not to think about it until the last second, it was hard to watch her knowing that she has played such an influential role on the debate team for the three years that I have been on the team,” stated Junior Shannon Carroll. An especially effected member of the audience was Harris’ sister, “As I watched her for a final time all these feelings just came rushing back to me, and that’s when I really thought to myself, oh my gosh, my sister is not only leaving debate, she is also leaving me.” stated Harris.
The Catholic National Debate Tournament brought a bitter sweet ending to the career of one debater, but opened the door to the upcoming seniors. The Debate team looks forward to starting off a fresh season next fall. For more information about the debate team contact Bill Nicolay.
