John R. Park Debate Society Hosts Spring Season Opener

The John R. Park Debate Society opened its Spring 2024 competitive season at home by hosting the Great Salt Lake Invitational and the UTEP Classic with tournament cohosts, the University of Texas-El Paso. The "swing" tournament allows schools to compete in two tournaments on the same weekend, doubling opportunities for students.  At the tournament, the team kicked off the Spring season with a strong competitive showing, including 29 final-round appearances across 2 days of competition, winning 8 of the 11 individual events. Additionally, senior Meredith Jenkins won the prestigious Royal R. Garff Individual Events Sweepstakes award for the second year in a row. Although every team member enjoyed individual success, host institutions are not allowed to win team sweepstakes awards. The team will look to build on this strong start to the Spring season on January 26-28 at the Jannese Davidson Memorial Tournament at Concordia University-Irvine. 

COMPLETE RESULTS

Overall (Sweepstakes) Awards

Meredith Jenkins – Royal R. Garff Individual Events Sweepstakes winner

Debate Awards

Great Salt Lake

3^rd place NPDA Speaker – Samantha Watrin

5^th place NPDA Speaker – Meredith Jenkins

7^th place NPDA Speaker – Sophia Smith

10^th  place NPDA Speaker – Catheryn Stevens

1^st place Junior NPDA – Sophia Smith and Simone Wiatrak

3^rd  Place Open NPDA  - Meredith Jenkins and Samantha Watrin

 

Individual Event Awards

1^st Place Dramatic Interpretation – Javier Tejeda

1^st Place Persuasive Speaking – Meredith Jenkins

1^st Place Extemporaneous Speaking – Meredith Jenkins

1^st Place Informative Speaking – Meredith Jenkins

1^st Place Prose Interpretation – Willow Wilson

1^st Place Impromptu Speaking -Meredith Jenkins

1^st Place Communication Analysis – Willow Wilson

1^st Place Program Oral Interpretation – Sophia Smith

2^nd  Place After Dinner Speaking – Will Ruzanski

2^nd Place Extemporaneous Speaking – Adelyn Kobe

2^nd Place Impromptu Speaking – Samantha Watrin

2^nd Place Persuasive Speaking – Courtney Hardie

2^nd Place Prose Interpretation – Sage Allred

2^nd Place Poetry Interpretation – Willow Wilson

2^nd Place Communication Analysis – Catheryn Stevens

2^nd  Place Extemporaneous Speaking – Madeleine Felix

2^nd  Place Informative Speaking – Adelyn Kobe

3^rd Place Informative Speaking – Samantha Watrin

3^rd Place Communication Analysis – Simone Wiatrak

3^rd Place Persuasive Speaking – Willow Wilson

4^th Place After Dinner Speaking- Javier Tejeda

4^th Place Extemporaneous Speaking – Brinley Kemp

4^th Place Persuasive Speaking -Adelyn Kobe

4^th Place Informative Speaking – Brinley Kemp

5^th Place Communication  Analysis – Sophia Smith

5^th Place Impromptu – Adelyn Kobe

5^th Place Persuasive Speaking – Simone Wiatrak

5^th Place Program Oral Interpretation – Catheryn Stevens

6^th Place After Dinner Speaking – Maria Manousakis