A large crowd gathered at Midwest City High school Saturday, Feb. 1 for the second annual elementary debate competition.
“Debate builds communication skills because they have to research a topic, give their opinions, anticipate what the other team brings up and learn how to argue,” Johnny Thompson, director of elementary teaching and learning said.
The elementary debate began when educators wanted to create a way to get students excited about and proficient in writing and research.
“With the new curriculum students are expected to form opinions based on evidence and form arguments based on evidence,” said Assistant Superintendent Kathy Dunn. “So debate teaches them how to research topics and get the facts then form their opinion based on what they find. They practice writing skills and public speaking and leadership skills. ”
This debate tournament had 29 teams from 17 schools debating three questions:
• Should grades determine at what age a student can get a driver’s license?
• Should fast food options be allowed in school cafeterias?
• Should schools divide their classes be gender?
Students extensively researched these topics, formulated arguments and wrote responses. They worked for months for the big competition; they were all eager but nervous.
“My Ace teacher told me about it and I wanted to do it. It seemed exiting,” Sydney Watkins from Schwartz Elementary said. “I’m excited because it’s my first time doing it. I am a little nervous but it’s gonna be fun.”
Bria Hughes from Ridgecrest Elementary commented on the importance of the debate competition
“Debate allows kids to get up and share their opinion with everybody else and share what they think should be available or allowed,” Hughes said.
Madeline Woodard, also from Schwartz Elementary, said that she learned skills not automatically associated with debate.
“[I learned] how to rebuttal and how to read in a certain amount of time; I’ve never been timed on reading,” Woodard said.
In the end, Schwartz Elementary came out victorious. The fifth graders on the team were Julia Carpenter, Wisdom Combs and Hunter Willard; and the fourth graders were Megan Culbert, Elizabeth Howell, Rhiannon Lenz, Christina LaValley, Olivia Polston, Sydney Watkins and Madeline Woodard. Cleveland Baily and Townsend 2 took second and third respectively.
This tournament grew massively from the previous year and promises to grow next year as well.
