Sequoia High School Speech and Debate Team has Early Success

Capitalizing on its successes of last year, the Sequoia High School Speech and Debate Team is off to another strong start for the 2012-13 school year.  Senior Logan Billman and sophomore Evan Hart went undefeated in Varsity Parliamentary Debate at the most recent California Forensic League tournament on Sunday, November 11.  They now have the opportunity to attend the State Qualifying matches in March.  Billman and Hart’s victory comes on the heels of the recent victory of the Novice Parliamentary Debate Team of Ada Gao and Eric Herrmann, who went undefeated at the California Forensic League Novice Debate Tournament.   Gao and Herrmann are new members of the team this year.

While many high schools in the area have well-established debate teams, Sequoia’s is just in its third year, which makes these wins even more impressive.  Amir American, a junior at Sequoia High School and the team President, founded the team when he was a freshman.  It has grown from a handful of members to over twenty students.  Amerian, a Lincoln-Douglas debater, has been instrumental in the team’s successes.  He, along with faculty adviser and Math teacher Kelley O’Hern, work to secure funding for the team, as well as coaches who counsel team members on all aspects of debating. 

If you are interested in supporting and/or donating to the Speech and Debate Team, please email sequoiadebate@gmail.com for more information.