John R. Park Debate Society Finishes First at Western States Communication Association Invitational Tournament

The John R. Park Debate Society traveled to Albuquerque, NM for the Western States Communication Association Forensics Tournament on February 14-16. The tournament, which is part of the Western States Communication Association Conference, allowed students to engage in both forensics competition in a swing tournament and conference presentations. Between the two tournaments, the team had 27 final round appearances, winning several individual events and closing out the final rounds of Open NFA-LD and IPDA debate to secure a first-place finish as a team. Freshman Jeremy Parrish also won the Forensics Service Award for the tournament. In addition to graduate coach, Averie Vockel, serving as the Forensics Activity Coordinator for the conference and tournament, undergraduates Juan Boscan, Maria Manousakis, and Jeremy Parrish presented at the conference.

The team will begin its series of international and national championship tournaments to close out its season on March 4,  traveling to Incheon, South Korea for the International Forensics Association Championships. 

COMPLETE RESULTS

Overall Awards

1st Place - Tournament Sweepstakes (4-year division)

1st Place - Best of the West Perpetual Sweepstakes

Forensics Service Wizard Award  -Jeremy Parrish

Individual Event Awards

1^st place Open Impromptu – Samantha Watrin

1^st place Junior Impromptu – Alexis McMullin

1^st place Extemporaneous Speaking - Samantha Watrin

1^st place Persuasive Speaking – Samantha Watrin

1^st place Informative Speaking – Samantha Watrin

1^st place Junior Poetry – Juan Boscan

1^st place Drama – Jeremy Parrish

1^st place Communication Analysis – Juan Boscan

2^nd place – Extemporaneous Speaking – Aubrie Powers

2^nd place Program Oral Interpretation – Myra Hicks

2^nd place Persuasive Speaking – Juan Boscan

2^nd place Communication Analysis – Jeremy Parrish

3^rd place After Dinner Speaking – Aubrie Powers

3^rd place Informative Speaking – Maria Manousakis

3^rd place Program Oral Interpretation – Aubrie Powers

3^rd place Persuasive Speaking – Maria Manousakis

4^th place Informative Speaking – Will Ruzanski

4^th place Persuasive Speaking – Myra Hicks

4^th place Extemporaneous Speaking – Myra Hicks

5^th place Extemporaneous Speaking – Will Ruzanski

5^th place Informative Speaking – Alexis McMullin

5^th place After Dinner Speaking – Jeremy Parrish

 

Debate Awards

1^st Place IPDA – Maria Manousakis

2^nd place IPDA – Myra Hicks

1^st place NFA-LD – Aubrie Powers

2^nd place NFA LD – Jeremy Parrish

3^rd place NFA-LD – Samantha Watrin