Drama, Debate and Forensics makes first meet in Juneau

The local debate team made its way to Juneau for its first of five meets scheduled for the season.

The two-day event was held at Juneau-Douglas High School last Friday and Saturday, and a pared-down group from Wrangell’s debate, drama and forensics team were able to attend.

The three students included two first-time participants in the program, Jean Luc Lewis and Morgan Torzand, while this will be the third year for Devin Pill. Other members of the team were unable to make the Juneau competition, though coach Sierra Reil was hopeful for a bigger showing at next month’s meet in Haines.

Wrangell’s team participated in one event in the area of forensics, called extemporaneous commentary. Individual students draw several subjects at random, picking one to deliver a short speech for judging purposes.

“Ex-comm presents a very wide range,” Reil explained. For instance, Torzand was given short notice to explain why laughter is the best medicine, and Lewis had to demonstrate why Netflix is bad for the mind.

“The students did very well,” said Reil.

While garnering no prizes, she explained the meet gave her students ideas on what to work on for the next meet, scheduled for November 10 and 11.

The DDF season concludes with a statewide meet in Anchorage beginning February 22.