Greene County High School Debate Team

Purpose

To provide students with an avenue for academic competition that requires research, writing and oral argument supported by evidence. Furthermore, students will travel to universities and meet and compete with exceptional high school and college students from across the region. The exposure to universities and to competition of this caliber promotes positive growth and maturity. These students then become role models for other GCHS students.

Performance

During training and the competitions, students must adopt the positions and attitudes of the countries that they represent. For example, our student representing North Korea had to play the role of the obnoxious obstructer of most of the proposals that her committee represented. Playing the role of the country correctly requires research and the ability to ad lib while remaining in character.

Expenses

By far, the greatest expenses for the Debate Team are the actual trips to competitions. During the first three years of its existence, the team on competed once a year at The University of Alabama. Last year the team traveled to three competitions and this year plans to travel to four, including UA, Mississippi State University, & Kennesaw State.

History

The debate club started in 2011, as result of requests that social studies teacher L. Burnette received from his students. In the beginning, it was just an after school club in which students gathered and debated the day’s topic. However, in the spring of 2012, the club did have an informal debate with the team at Vestavia Hills via Skype. For the 2012-13 school year, Burnette secured a grant for a team to compete at the Alabama Model United Nations at The University of Alabama for two years. Four GCHS students competed in February of 2013. The following year (2014), GCHS was represented by seven students; one placing third in a committee debate, another fourth, and two students received commendations for their foreign policy papers. In addition, GCHS was recognized as the most successful team to ever compete under the Black Belt Initiative grant. For detailed results, please read the overview below.

Debate Team History

2012-13:

• University of Alabama – Competed

2013-14:

• University of Alabama- Second Place, Debate: Baronnica Perkins
  • Fourth Place, Debate: Phillip Harmon
  • Honorable Mention, Policy Paper: Baronnica Perkins
  • Honorable Mention, Policy Paper: Jazmine Consentine

2014-15:

• University of Alabama
  • Second Place, Debate: Phillip Harmon

2015-16:

• University of Mississippi (Ole’ Miss): Competed (not an MUN)
• University of Alabama- Fourth Place, Debate: LaDeidra Benison
• Mississippi State University- Most Improved, Debate: Te;Aron Wiloson

2016-17:

• Pope John Paul II High School (Nashville, TN):
  • Second Place (by debaters), Debate: Anthony Mcgee
  • Third Place (by judges) Debate, Anthony McGee
  • Fourth Place, Policy Paper: Anthony McGee
• Georgia State University (Atlanta): Competed
• University of Alabama: Competed
• Mississippi State University: Second Place, Policy Paper: Anthony McGee

2017-18:

• Pope John Paul II High School (Nashville, TN): Competed
• University of Alabama: Competed
• Mississippi State University:
  • Runner-up, Most Outstanding Delegate: Gabriel Turner
  • Most Improved Delegation: Miah Armour and Alanna Robinson
  • Most Improved Delegation: Ivan Peebles (competing alone in a team competition)
  • Most Debated Policy Paper: Haley Noland

2018-19:

• Pope John Paul II High School (Nashville, TN):
  • Honorable Mention:  Daijah Means
• University of Alabama:
  • Fourth Place Crisis Committee: Journee Coleman
• Mississippi State University:
  • Most Improved Delegation: Ivan Peebles
  • Most Improved Delegation: Haley Noland, Quantayia Williams
• Kennesaw State University: Competed