School Features

The Kamiak Debate Team has broken all of its previous records. Competing at the National Qualifying Tournament at Snohomish High School, the team qualified seven students to the National tournament in Kansas City this June: Kate Lawrenz and Ariel Freda in public forum debate; Jacob Landsberg and Alice Huang in cross-examination debate;  Sam Jeong in dramatic interpretation; and Vivian Zhu and Yvana Tran in dual dramatic interpretation. 

Given that only 36 students advance to nationals from the state of Washington, this is a huge honor for the team.  This success, however, is only one of many the team has enjoyed this year.

In the preliminary season, the 42 members shattered the previous trophy record, winning175 awards in one year.  By February, the team began preparing for the district qualifying tournaments held in Edmonds and in Sedro-Woolley.  

Qualifying 25 students in individual events, debate and student congress, Kamiak had the largest contingent of competitors from District One at the state tournament in March. 

At the state competition, held at the University of Puget Sound, the team again performed exceptionally well.  Senior and third year debater Lawrenz earned first place in state oratory and state extemporaneous speaking, and along with her partner Ariel Freda won second place in state public forum debate. 

The crowning achievement at this tournament, however, was Lawrenz  unanimously earning the Erik Helppie  Award.  This trophy, given out continuously for the last 38 years, is awarded to the top debate student in Washington State chosen by debate coaches from around the state.  Lawrenz is the second Kamiak winner in the past 10 years.

In addition to the seven aforementioned qualifiers to Nationals, the team had three first alternates: Jeff Giorgi and Paul Mun in cross examination debate, and Jim Melnick in humorous interpretation.

With this level of success the team won the first place sweepstakes for the tournament., meaning that  of  the 28 schools participating, Kamiak was ranked No. 1 overall. 

Lawrenz was ranked the No. 1  debate student of the district.  Her name and letter of recommendation have been forwarded to the National Forensic League's office where she will now compete with 101 other students for the honor of being named the Debate Student of the Nation. 

The results of that vote will be announced in June.