The debate team traveled to Blue Valley West on Saturday, Nov. 1 and placed fourth overall. As a team, senior Eli Sheehan and junior Karla Kim placed eighth, while juniors Kelly Gothard and Jack Booth took the third place medal out of 17 overall.

In the novice division freshman Allison Winker and sophomore Sydney Hall placed fifth and medaled for the first time. Winker described her team’s performance at the tournament.

“We made a really good team and it felt good to do really well,” Winker said. “I think what makes us stand out is the fact that we work really well together. Sydney is really sassy and funny so she sounds really good when she is responding to the other sides arguments. I’m the nice one who pulls everything together to make one cohesive case or argument, which isn’t something everyone can do.”

Hall said that after the first round she had a new take on the debate.

“The first [round] is really nerve-racking because you’re going up and you’re hoping this is going to go well, but [then] you get really into it and after the debate you’re all hyped up and ready to fight,” Hall said.

Sophomore Sue Kim participates in Advanced Debate and explained what she has to do in order to be a dedicated debater.

“At debate tournaments, we usually have to be at school before 7 a.m. and then during the day we have five debate rounds overall that are each an hour and a half [long],” Sue said. “We have three rounds in the morning, lunch, and then two in the afternoon.”

Hall said that the tournaments could often be really difficult and stressful.

“Most people don’t know that it’s really on the spot,” Hall said. “You’re coming up with every piece of evidence going against [the other team] and you [only] have eight minutes to hear it and then make up eight minutes of anything to go against [them].”