When hosting a tournament, all but silence is welcome. Hundreds of fashionably professional speakers, from far and near, can be seen and heard in every corner. At first, they are focused on an argument with the wall or their computer screens. Intense and ironic. But once the debates start, passionate arguments that are by no means irrelevant thunder against the walls. Their voices prove effective, understanding, and surprisingly respectful. Although debates push students against each other, a sense of expected, affectionate anticipation for their opponents’ arguments can be felt as it consumes the radical panic from the hours before. It is an environment of chaotic harmony that, honestly, works extremely well. A prized jewel of a presence that welcomes the unknown, the mistakes, the rush, improvisational fears, and accepts it wholly in a way that creates a masterpiece of an event. 

December 5th and 6th, FHC hosted an incredible speech and debate tournament. Debate teams from eighteen Missouri schools, such as Clayton, Lafayette, Parkway South, and Lutheran High School, attended the tournament. The debate team hosting needed to be everywhere, resulting in multiple teams with different jobs.

After setting up signs, Freshman Luke Schoch helped judges get to their assigned rooms and guide speakers to their rooms on time for debates during the tournament.

“It was mainly just making sure people knew where to go and just helping people find their way,” said Schoch.

Schoch is new to speech and debate. For him, this experience, while a “controlled chaos”, was incredible and useful nonetheless.

“It’s a good way to just get our school out there and promote our team, what we want to ultimately do [is] host a big event [and] allow these schools to come out and grow the sport of speech and debate. We want to try and get the name out there,” said Schoch

For FHC’s Speech and Debate coach, Sara McClendon, keeping everything in order was difficult, to say the least. Especially when numerous cancellations occurred.

“I would say in the 24 hours before the event, I had close to 20 judges email and cancel on me. And then another probably 10 or 15 that just didn’t show up. So, we had a lot of judge cancellations, which is really essential for tournaments, but we were able to get through and get our rounds started pretty much on time.“

However, the event did indeed go extremely well and was clearly organized successfully. The support of her fellow coaches was also greatly appreciated. To the following coaches, she gives her thanks:

“Mrs. Zustiak from Clayton was very helpful to us throughout the tournament. Mrs. Borgsmiller and Miss Beck from Parkway West, were also very, very helpful. And Dr. Johnson from Columbia Public Schools also jumped in and really helped us out.” McClendon said.

To raise money for future opportunities and events, a raffle was held during the two-day tournament. While this was normal, the prize was interesting to say the least.

“ We had initially planned on at our concession stand, selling some microwave mac and cheese, but I mistakenly picked up the stovetop mac and cheese at Costco beforehand,” said McClendon.

 “In my defense, one, I had a lot on my mind Thursday night before the tournament, and two, they’re right next to the microwave stuff. It looks very similar.”

While hilarious, the mistake actually worked in McClendon’s favor.

“We kind of combined everything, but between our concession stand and the raffle, I want to say, we made about $200,“ said McClendon.

Now, the moment every speaker was anticipating. The shiny bow to tie up the whole event, or rather, the shiny trophy. The award ceremony was the final event of the tournament, and the president of the FHC speech and debate team, senior Sukhman Singh, made the opening speech.

During his speech, Singh added hilarious puns and references that the majority, if not every speaker present, understood and adored. Singh truly knew his audience, and it is no surprise that he is the president, nor that he was the one to make this inspiring opening speech for the final event of the tournament. Of course, it wouldn’t be FHC if the fun ended at the opening speech. The theme of the tournament was High School Musical. So, as if a tribute to Troy Bolton himself, Addie Law threw a tiny, squishy basketball into the crowd for its lucky winner to catch. Of course, other speakers attempted to catch the ball, as if it were an official Taylor Swift hoodie set free into a crowd of adoring fans.

From the schools arriving to the rowdy finale, this is truly a memorable, motivating, award-worthy experience. The respect and bonds of all 18 schools are admirable, unaffected by the topics of the debate nor the opponent’s beliefs. They are the type of bonds that can only be compared to movies and expected of a respectable family. 

“Ultimately, you just learn to grow with those people over time, and you just build those friendships naturally,” said Schoch.

May these bonds between all these schools endure, and every speaker’s incredible talent to draw an audience into a fast-paced argument remain long after their speech and debate eras have ended, if they ever do.