Sometimes, friends and colleagues can get me into the strangest situations.
Case in point: On Friday, I ended up as a community judge for the NCFCA Region IX Invitational Speech and Debate Tournament held at Landmark Baptist Church in Greenville.
Professor Barri Piner, a colleague in ECU’s English Department, gave my contact information (with my approval) to an organization in need of judges. I had forgotten this commitment until a Monday email informed me of time I needed to check in.
I headed out Friday morning knowing the “where” but not exactly the “why” and “who.” The tournament involved 180 young people, ages 12-18, who hailed from North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland. All were home-schooled students.
During the brief orientation for judges, I learned the sponsoring organization was the National Christian Forensics and Communications Association. Between April 25 and May 2, homeschooled students from across the nation are competing to earn a berth in the national competition, slated for June in Tulsa, OK.
Tourney officials reviewed expectations, explained debate and speech formats, and clarified evaluation rubrics for debates, as well as the 10 types of speech events.
The NCFCA, third largest high school speech and debate league in the nation, believes speech and debate training provides a means for students to hone their analytical skills and to develop the art of clear and respectful communication.
The debates formats are TP (Team Policy) and LD (Lincoln-Douglas). TP debates involve two teams of two members. One team presents the affirmative side of the proposition; the other team, the negative. This year’s TP topic was: Resolved: That the United Nations should be significantly reformed or abolished.
The teams I judge focused on the Human Rights Council of the UN. The affirmative team argued for the need of reforming the structure and authority of the Human Rights Council to protect and promote human rights. The other side argued for maintaining the status quo, alleging changes suggested by the affirmative team would stop useful dialogue and result in elitism.
The debate was a whirl-wind experience. Speakers alternated in presenting eight-minute speeches and enduring three minutes of cross examination from the opposition. The last four exchanges allowed each team to give rebuttal for five minutes each with no cross exam.
For 90 minutes, these teams respectfully presented their sides and raised objections to the contentions of the other side. Given the typical name-calling and bashing that passes for political discourse in our nation today, watching young people engage in a respectful exchange of ideas in a rapid-fire format was refreshing.
The Lincoln-Douglas format pitted speakers against each other one on one. The topic was: Resolved: That governments have a moral obligation to assist other nations in need.
I could see any of these young people one day arguing cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.
In addition to judging debates, I observed several Impromptu Speeches. Each student blindly picked three quotes, chose one and had two minutes to prepare a five-minute speech.
Of all my tasks, judging eight Humorous Interpretation speeches was by far the hardest. Each student took a piece of literature and then recited it, creating characters through distinctive gestures and vocalizations.
Even though every Humorous Interpretation was well-done, I still had to rank them from one to eight, one being the best. Judges also must write justifications, as well as offer suggestions, kudos and criticisms. I was tasked with critiquing young people doing something well I am not sure I could have done at all.
The procedures and integrity of this process impressed me. All tourney officials, judges and participants seemed concerned everything be done by the rules and executed honorably.
I left around 4:30 p.m. after giving five hours to the judging process.
I saw no losers. Instead, I saw a large group of young people being trained in effective communication and high level thinking skills.Homeschoolers from three states debate and present speechesHomeschoolers from three states debate and present speeches
Mike Parker is a columnist for The Free Press. You can reach him at mparker16@suddenlink.net or in care of this newspaper.