Speech & Debate
Laurel Speech and Debate- Great Communicators!
In just three short years, Laurel School has developed one of Northeast Ohio's leading Speech and Debate programs. Starting with a bang in the 2004-2005 season, the Laurel Speech and Debate team now counts approximately 20% of Upper School students among its members. Along the way, Laurel has earned two state championships, several qualifications to the prestigious National Forensic League National tournament, and many individual tournament championships and trophies. In the 2006-2007 season, Laurel crowned NFL District champions / National qualifiers in Public Forum Debate and added a National qualifier in Original Oratory. At the 2007 National tournament, Laurel's Public Forum debate team finished in the top 25 of nearly 270 teams entered!
Laurel's brief but prestigious tradition in Speech and Debate has included:
State Champion - 2005
Kailey Kawolics, Oratorical Interpretation
State Champion - 2006
Erin McCardle, Prose/Poetry Interpretation
NFL District Champions - 2007
Kristin Moore and Mitali Rakhit,
Public Forum Debate
NFL National Qualifiers
Erin McCardle, 2005,
Dramatic Interpretation
Kristin Moore and Mitali Rakhit, 2007,
Public Forum Debate
Jyotsna Ghosh, 2007,
Original Oratory
OHSSL Cleveland District Bro-Doc Team Award
Laurel School, 2004-2005
Laurel's success in Speech and Debate competition is only part of the story, however. Laurel also offers a course in Forensics / Debate, which helps students develop skills in presentation and argumentation. Many of Laurel's classes, from AP English to Engineering, incorporate debate into the course curriculum. In 2007, Summer at Laurel will include half-day workshops in interpretative speaking and debate. Most important, though, is Laurel's commitment to each student's discovery and development of her own voice. The Laurel Speech and Debate program plays a vital role in that mission.
To learn about Laurel students' greatest accomplishments in Speech and Debate, in the words of the students themselves, visit the Laurel Forensics Hall of Fame.
