The LCHS Debate Team recently completed a lengthy 2006-2007 season with appearances at two national tournaments.

T.J. Carani, a rising junior, competed in the NCFL(National Catholic Forensic League) Grand National Tournament in "student congress," and rising seniors Abigail Minor and Nikolas Spens participated in the NFL(National Forensic League) National Tournament in the area of "policy debate."

The NCFLGrand National Tournament was held at the Westin Galleria Hotel in Houston, Texas.

"Competing at nationals was a very positive experience for T.J.," according to Lee Robinson, debate coach at LCHS. "He made several speeches and gained experience that is certain to benefit him in future competitions. Although T.J. is primarily a policy debater, he loves competing in student congress. I know he'd really enjoy going back to nationals in student congress if he doesn't qualify in policy debate as a junior or senior."

The NFLNational Tournament was held at Wichita East High School in Wichita, Kansas.

Minor and Spens finished the preliminary rounds with three split decisions and three losses. Both the students and their coach felt good about this record.

"This was Abigail and Nikolas' first national policy tournament," said Robinson. "Some of the best teams in the nation were there, and as is true when anyone competes against the best of the best, they learned a great deal from the experience.

"Abigail is doubtless one of the most talented and hard-working debaters I've ever had the privilege of coaching, and Nikolas has made phenomenal progress in his first year as a policy debater," the coach continued. "I'm really excited to see what they're going to do as seniors."

In her comments on the experience, Minor said, "We debated teams from all over the country, including Portland, Oregon; Berkeley, California; and the host state of Kansas. My partner and I did not break into the elimination rounds, but we did pick up three out of 12 ballots, which we thought was pretty decent considering neither of us had ever debated at a national tournament before."

In addition to debating, the Lincoln County contingent also visited the Wichita zoo; ate at the Texas Roadhouse in Wichita, where the wait staff danced hourly, and at Arthur Bryant's famous barbecue restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri; and toured the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri.

On behalf of the LCHS Debate Team, Robinson thanked the following for their assistance throughout the season: the LCHS Debate Booster Club, Dr. Becky Barden, Dr. Randall Edmunds and the Lincoln County Board of Education, Ernie Guthrie, Claude Robinson, and all those who supported the program by participating in various fundraising projects or through individual donations.

The coach extended a special thankyou to Stephanie Carani, who served as son T.J.'s chaperone as well as LCHS's judge in Houston. Robinson could not attend the tournament due to a previous commitment.