Debate team, a success story

Major congratulations are due the WHS speech and debate team for their recent, impressive class A triumph at the Missoula Invitational, but the real BRAVO should go to the school board, the administration, the coaches and the parents.

Like most success stories, we are really seeing the culmination of many years of hard work and dedication and critical support from the folks behind the scenes.

The school board knew that as with all team sports, the speech kids acquire the values of discipline, individual preparation and responsibility, teamwork, time and priority management and sharpened focus.

In addition, their developing speech and debate skills start to pay off immediately in the high school academic arena, in interviews and jobs and college applications, in college and post-graduate course work, and in general sense of self-confidence and ease around adults and in front of groups.

It was just a few years ago that the team only attracted 15-20 students from all four grades. In spite of a long season extending from late August through late January and the time commitment of competitions most weekends from mid-October onward, the team persevered and the critical support system never wavered.

This year the turnout in September was 53 students and now the team is 4 - 0.

This is only the beginning. In 1993, if you had predicted that Flathead Speech would amass four runner-ups and seven AA State Championships over the next eleven years, the laughter would have reached Malta - until it happened.

If you would have told a young couple on Whitefish Stage that two of their elementary school boys would compete on four State Championship teams and that one would become an individual Montana State Champion two years in a row, they would have scoffed - until it happened.

Aim High!

Andy Palchak

Whitefish Stage

Kalispell