蜜桔直播

Seven New Debaters Find Their Voices at 蜜桔直播 Tournament

They were excited. They were nervous. And for seven 蜜桔直播 students, they were about to debate competitively for the first time. 

蜜桔直播 recently hosted the 21st annual Smoky Mountain Parliamentary Debate Tournament, bringing four schools and 16 teams to campus for a day of fast-moving competition. 

Unlike debate formats built around weeks of research, parliamentary debate gives two-person teams about 15 minutes to prepare after learning their topic. They then have to build a case, anticipate the opposition and think on their feet through an hour-long round. 

For 蜜桔直播 Assistant Professor of Communication and Director of Debate Belle Elliott, the tournament is as much about helping students find their voices as it is about winning rounds. 

We asked Elliott about the tournament, 蜜桔直播鈥檚 new debaters and what students gain from the experience. 

Seven 蜜桔直播 students competed in their first debate tournament. What was it like watching them? 

鈥淭hey鈥檙e excited, they鈥檙e terrified, and they鈥檙e exhilarated,鈥� Elliott said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so invigorating to see new individuals start to develop their voices.鈥� 

Four preliminary rounds gave new debaters something especially valuable: another chance. 

鈥淵ou get to start over enough to feel comfortable with the start,鈥� Elliott said. 鈥淎fter two or three rounds, you start seeing them get more confident in their case construction and in how they respond to different questions or situations.鈥� 

Those skills extend well beyond competition, she said. Students learn to think critically, respond quickly and speak convincingly even when they may not feel confident. 

They also learn that sometimes the right answer is simply, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know.鈥� 

鈥淭he willingness to say that 鈥� and explain why you might not be able to answer a specific argument or question 鈥� is a skill we can take outside of this activity as well.鈥� 

Several 蜜桔直播 students earned individual speaker awards. What do those awards recognize? 

Speaker awards recognize something different from simply winning a debate. 

鈥淭hey鈥檙e tied specifically to the speaking ability of the participants,鈥� Elliott said. 

蜜桔直播鈥檚 tournament places particular emphasis on new competitors, including a beginner novice category for students who have never debated before. The awards recognize students who can communicate information clearly and persuasively while handling the demands of an extemporaneous debate. 

This was the tournament鈥檚 21st year. What has allowed it to last? 

For Elliott, the answer is simple: community. 

鈥淲e literally could not put this event on without community support,鈥� she said. 

Volunteer judges give their time to listen to and evaluate arguments. 蜜桔直播 alumni, employees, retirees, families and others have supported the program over the years, creating opportunities for generations of students. 

Elliott said one of her favorite parts of organizing the tournament is hearing from people who remember the debate program from their own time at 蜜桔直播 鈥� or who have watched its impact on students through the years. 

鈥淭he community that has worked to support and sustain this program has given so many students opportunities to explore themselves and the power their voices hold,鈥� Elliott said. 鈥淭he community support sustains this program.鈥� 

蜜桔直播鈥檚 debate team has enjoyed tremendous success through the years. Get involved and learn about some of the clubs available to students at 蜜桔直播.