John R. Park Debate Society Dominates in California

The John R. Park Debate Society continued its 2023-2024 competitive season on November 3-6, 2023, traveling to Torrance, California to compete at the Crossman Invitational hosted by El Camino College. Ten University of Utah students competed against a field of 18 other schools, including San Diego State University, California State University LA, California State University Fullerton, and the University of California San Diego. Members of the Debate Society won nine of the 14 events to secure the top spot at the tournament, outstripping the second-place team by 30 points. Of special note, first-year students Samantha Watrin and Kit Stevens won all 14 of their debate ballots to place first in NPDA debate, and Watrin was awarded top speaker in the event. The team will continue its season in December at the PSCFA Fall Champs Tournament hosted by Mt. San Antonio College.

COMPLETE RESULTS

Overall Awards

Team Sweepstakes – 1^st Place

Individual Events Awards

1^st Place Informative Speaking – Samantha Watrin

1^st Place Prose – Willow Wilson

1^st Place Impromptu Speaking – Meredith Jenkins

1^st Place Novice Informative Speaking – Brinley Kemp

1^st Place Persuasive Speaking – Meredith Jenkins

1^st Place Novice Extemporaneous Speaking –Brinley Kemp

1^st Place Novice Impromptu Speaking -Maria Manousakis

1^st Place Communication Analysis – Willow Wilson

2^nd Place Extemporaneous Speaking – Meredith Jenkins

2^nd Place Informative Speaking – Adelyn Kobe

2^nd Place Impromptu Speaking – Samantha Watrin

2^nd Place Poetry Willow Wilson

2^nd Place After Dinner Speaking – Will Ruzanski

2^nd Place Program Oral Interpretation  - Sophia Smith

2^nd Place Communication Analysis – Simone Wiatrak

3^rd Place  Informative Speaking – Meredith Jenkins

3^rd Place Communication Analysis – Sophia Smith

4^th Place Impromptu Speaking – Adelyn Kobe

5^th Place Communication Analysis – Kit Stevens

4^th Place Impromptu Speaking – Adelyn Kobe

4^th Place After Dinner Speaking – Maria Manousakis

5^th Place persuasion – Simone Wiatrak

 

Debate Awards

1^st Place Open NPDA (finals closeout) – Kit Stevens and Samantha Watrin

1^st Place Open NPDA (finals closeout) – Meredith Jenkins and Adelyn Kobe

Semifinalist Open NPDA – Will Ruzanski and Willow Wilson

Semifinalist Novice NPDA – Sophia Smith and Simone Wiatrak

Quarterfinalist Novice NPDA – Brinley Kemp and Maria Manousakis

 

1^st Place Speaker Open NPDA – Samantha Watrin

2^nd Place Speaker Novice NPDA – Brinley Kemp

4^th Place Speaker Novice NPDA – Sophia Smith

4^th Place Speaker Open NPDA – Kit Stevens

6^th Place Speaker Open NPDA – Will Ruzanski

7^th Place Speaker Open NPDA – Adelyn Kobe