The Tyler Junior College Speech and Debate team recently returned from the Phi Rho Pi National community college tournament in Reno, Nevada, with four national titles and several other awards.
“This was a heavily attended tournament, with 53 schools from around the country competing,” said M’Liss Hindman, TJC speech professor and team director.
TJC speech professor Joan Andrews serves as team assistant director.
Competing in the tournament’s largest division, TJC captured the bronze in three Sweepstakes categories:
• Debate Sweepstakes
• Individual Events Sweepstakes
• Overall Sweepstakes
In the individual events, TJC earned:
• Gold in parliamentary debate – Kraig Coulter and Victoria Olivares, both of Grand Saline
• Gold in extemporaneous speaking – Kraig Coulter
• Gold in prose interpretation – Kailee Huston, of Lindale
• Gold in IPDA (International Public Debate Association) debate – Kraig Coulter
• Silver in impromptu speaking – Victoria Olivares
• Silver in extemporaneous speaking – Victoria Olivares
“One of the more interesting facts about one of the winning events was that the IPDA event had 133 contestants and Kraig Coulter was the No. 1 seed coming out of the prelims,” Hindman added.
Parliamentary Debate had 49 teams entered, Prose Interpretation had 88 contestants, Impromptu Speaking had 101 contestants, and Extemporaneous Speaking had 103 contestants.
“This was a spectacular showing for this team,” Hindman said. “Of the six events that qualified for the semifinals, all six advanced to the final round. 100-percent attrition is very rare.”
TJC’s Josh Lockaby, of Canton, was chosen for the prestigious Fellowship Award — for sportsmanship and leadership — out of more than 400 tournament competitors.
Team showcase set April 23
The TJC Speech and Debate team will hold a showcase performance at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, in the Exhibit Hall of the Rogers Palmer Performing Arts Center on the TJC central campus.
Admission is free, and the public is invited to attend.
For more information, go to TJC.edu/speech.