Your future, our focus
The Charlotte Patrick Speech and Debate society concluded their 2017-18 season earlier this month at the Phi Rho Pi Nationals at Daytona Beach, Florida. Six Northwest College students traveled to the weeklong tournament to compete in speech and debate events at the largest full-service tournament in the U.S.
As a team, NWC brought home six awards. Dominic Damiano of Worland earned bronze awards in both drama and prose, CJ Day of Star Valley claimed a bronze award in International Public Debate Association, Jared Lange of Rock Springs won the Phi Rho Pi Merritt Award for service to Phi Rho Pi, Isaabella Munoz, also of Worland, brought home a bronze award in program oral interpretation and Taylor Rempp of Harrison, Nebraska, also received the Phi Rho Pi Merritt Award for service to Phi Rho Pi.
In addition, the team also brought home a slew of awards last month from the National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA) Nationals in Portland, Oregon.
NWC Forensics fielded three teams at the NPDA National Championship Tournament. Overall, NWC placed fourth in community college sweepstakes.
Additionally, this tournament is also where the season-long sweepstakes is awarded, which includes the national ranking of all colleges and universities that compete in parliamentary debate, based on placings at tournaments throughout the season.
NWC Forensics finished third in the nation among community colleges and ranked 20th in the nation for all colleges and universities.
Individually, Rempp was named All-American. To be considered for an All-American award, students must have at least a 3.5 GPA at their home institution, provide proof of a successful debate career and demonstrate service to their debate and home communities. Rempp was the only community college student to earn this award.
While the team has earned their fair share of successes throughout the season, they also use their voices for much more than winning awards. During the past year, the team raised more than $2,000 to help fund a variety of service projects.
In the fall semester, they adopted a high school debate team from Houston, who experienced significant losses during flooding from Hurricane Harvey.
With the funds, NWC students were able to replace the students’ supplies and help provide handbooks for the 2017-18 season for the East Early College High School debate team.
Additionally, the team contributed to the GoFundMe page for Big Horn Basin debater Marisela Burgos, who is stranded in Juarez, Mexico, while attempting to correct her Deferred Action for Child Arrivals program status.
As their season came to a close, the team also donated 211 pounds of goods, such as toiletries and clothing, to shelters in Billings and Denver.
To learn more about Northwest College Forensics, visit https://nwc.edu/forensics/.
