Area High School Hosts Speech and Debate Tournament

The Mountain View High School Speech and Debate Team hosted the 27th annual Toro Country Classic this past November.

According to Mountain View’s coach Meg Howell-Haymaker, this annual competitive speech and debate tournament drew 721 students. Approximately 150 coaches, judges and volunteers, from 47 schools in New Mexico and Flagstaff, also took part, as well as local schools in Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Phoenix and Ahwatukee.

In two days of intense competition, students competed in a variety of events, including extemporaneous speaking about current events, presentation of an original oratory, humorous or dramatic interpretation (acting), duet acting and team, individual or legislative debate.

Depending on the style of debate, teams tackled the issues of price controls on the pharmaceutical industry, national immigration policy, whether humans are primarily motivated by self-interest, or if the people’s right to know about a candidate for public office outweighs individual privacy.

First held during the 1991-1992 school year, the Toro Country Classic has tripled in size since Speech and Debate coach Meg Howell-Haymaker started it. To keep the whole production running smoothly this year, the Mountain View team members were on their feet collecting ballots from judges, taking them to be tabulated, posting results, cleaning the competition rooms, staffing the snack bar, and working in the judges’ and coaches’ hospitality room.

It added up to two long days for the Mountain View team, with lots of work and lots of excitement. Senior Izzy Boker’s favorite part was posting the names of students who advanced to semi-final and final rounds. “It’s the most anticipated part of the tournament,” Izzy said. “It’s really cool to watch hundreds of kids’ reactions as you drop the posters for semis and finals.”

For sophomore Aubrey Zink, working at the tournament was exhausting, especially “…running around campus late at night to collect ballots,” she admitted. “But handing out awards and seeing the competitors’ reactions at the end of the tournament was worth the work.”

Although the Mountain View Speech and Debate Team did not compete at the Toro Country Classic, the event is the team’s most important fund-raising event. The team will use the funds raised for paying entry fees, travel expenses and supplies for Toro speakers and debaters who qualify for this year’s National Tournament, which will be held in Dallas, Texas, in June 2019.

Since the team was formed in 1983, Mountain View has sent more than 180 students to the National Speech and Debate National Tournament. In the 2017-2018 school year, the Toros sent two students to the National Tournament. Those students are Max Gau, in United States Extemporaneous Speaking and James Driscoll, in World Schools Debate.

This year, the national qualifying tournament will be held at the end of March 2019. At that tournament, unlike the Toro Country Classic, the Mountain View Speech and Debate Team plans to compete.

For more information about Mesa Public Schools, please visit mpsaz.org.