The Tyler Junior College Speech and Debate team brought home three national titles from their final two tournaments of the 2021-22 season.
For the third year in a row, TJC earned Top Community College at the American Forensics Association National Speech Tournament (AFA-NST); and at the Phi Rho Pi Community College tournament, TJC was named the national championship debate team and student Vanessa Trevino, of Dallas, was named national champion in the prose interpretation category.
American Forensics Association tournament
“TJC brought home an additional award that we have never won,” said M’Liss Hindman, TJC speech professor and team director. “To put this award into context, you must understand that all students’ ranks in their prelim rounds count toward the total sweepstakes points earned. So, winning any sweepstakes is a true team effort. This year, Jessica Saling was our third student ever to break into quarterfinals, and in extemporaneous speaking, which is one of the more difficult events.”
In addition to being named Top Community College, TJC received special recognition as second place in Limited Sweepstakes. This award was created to give recognition to the smaller schools entered who would mathematically never be able to earn a Sweepstakes.
“TJC has never accrued enough points to win this award before,” Hindman said. “In fact, I am fairly certain that we are only the second community college ever to be recognized with a Sweepstakes award at AFA-NST.”
Phi Rho Pi Community College tournament
In addition to the national championships for the team and Trevino, TJC made a fine showing overall, including:
• Individual Events Overall, Silver
• Darian Burroughs, Hallsville, Silver in extemporaneous speaking and Bronze in parliamentary debate and impromptu speaking
• Skyler Strickland, Hughes Springs, Bronze in prose
• Jessica Saling, Dallas, Bronze in parliamentary debate and impromptu speaking
• Isabella LoCicero, Paris, Bronze in parliamentary and IPDA debate
• Mya Bowden, Rusk, Bronze in impromptu
• Joseph Ritter, Hallsville, Bronze in dramatic interpretation and winner of the Student Fellowship Award
For more information on the program, go to TJC.edu/speech.