Teams wow at school’s first speech, debate tourney

%28From+left+to+right%29+Students+from+River+Hill+High+School+shake+hands+with+a+sophomore+Olivia+Summons+and+senior+Jessica+Ye+after+the+debate+about+the+benefits+and+costs+of+the+Internet+of+Things

Meera Rothman

(From left to right) Students from River Hill High School shake hands with a sophomore Olivia Summons and senior Jessica Ye after the debate about the benefits and costs of the Internet of Things

Meera Rothman, Editor in chief
November 17, 2016

The weeks of preparation that senior Jessica Ye and sophomore Olivia Summons spent researching paid off Nov. 12. Summons and Ye competed at the Baltimore Catholic Forensic League debate tournament here, earning a bronze medal and an undefeated record. All five other debate partners finished with two wins and one loss.
For Summons, this was no small victory.
“This was the first time Jessica and I worked together,” she said. “I was a bit apprehensive initially about having a new partner last minute, but it seemed to work out really well between the two of us.”
This was the first tournament ever hosted here, drawing hundreds of students from around the state.
“I was less nervous because of the home field advantage,” Ye said. “I didn’t get lost trying to find the room!”
Senior Mary-Charlotte Gitlin and freshman Clarice McKee, speech team members, competed in dramatic performance, in which participants recite their original 10-minute monologue.
“It was really fun to perform and get judged,” Gitlin said. “I wish I had joined speech last year, but I’m really enjoying it now.”