The gavel taps and the chamber opens. Name plates begin to spring up and pens start writing. Each speech feels like a fight to be heard. Silence floods the room as the presiding officer taps their gavel for the last time. The nerves spread from one competitor to the other as they wait for their ballots. Finally, it’s time for the results, and senior Kaleb Gleen, junior Cooper Tucker and alternate junior Sophie Fisher are state-bound.
On Jan. 7, these three will head to Austin to compete in the UIL State Congress Debate Tournament. Those who make finals, will continue to compete the following day in the Texas State Capitol Extension Auditorium.
“Our debaters were very prepared,” Debate coach Pamela Lattin said. “They researched all the legislation and learned all they could about the issues to prepare. They also were confident in their abilities to class with other debaters and hold their own. It was a great combination to make champions.”
In the past three years White Oak debate competed in congress, multiple competitors have qualified for state. Throughout the years, the program has had three state qualifiers as well as three alternates.
“I’ve been in congress since sophomore year, so this is my third year doing it,” Glenn said. “The thing that helped me the most at improving in congress is practicing my speeches over and over again as well as knowing as much as I can about the topics.”
Before the season even begins, students get the chance to enter their own legislation. If their legislation is chosen, then they get first bid on speaking in that round as well as the upper hand when it comes to knowledge of the topic.
“Having your own legislation is helpful because at the end of a round, if you have more speeches than the rest of your competition then you have a huge upper hand,” Tucker said. “This is especially true in a competition like state where everyone is a good speaker and makes good points.”
The docket for the state tournament was released Dec. 2. When the docket was released, the three qualifiers began to prepare their speeches. Each piece of legislation was submitted by different regions. They were then split up between the docket for preliminary rounds and finals.
“For the state competition it is completely new legislation besides the piece our region submits, so we have to work quickly to be able to get everything done in a month,” Fisher said. “If you do the research to prepare, you can go up there confident about the topic, making it a lot harder for people to ask questions.”
White Oak Debate will send three competitors to The UIL State Congress Debate Tournament, qualifier senior Kaleb Glenn, who placed first at regionals, qualifier junior Cooper Tucker, who placed third at regionals as well as alternate junior Sophie Fisher who placed fourth at regionals. The state tournament will take place Jan. 7 at the Texas State Capitol Extension Auditorium.
“This group of students is special because they truly love Congress debate,” Lattin said. “They aren’t just doing it because I make them, or because they want the weighted debate credit. They love it and they are willing to put in the work to be successful.”