Conway High School speech and debate team traveled to New Orleans, LA to compete at the 47th annual Isidore Newman Speech and Debate Tournament on December 13th. There they went against many opponents from all over the U.S. This event was a great way to meet new students with the same interests, as well as showing off all of their skills when it comes to writing and presenting.

   Competitor Newton Nganga finished 3rd place in the Lincoln-Douglas debate. When asked about his experience of competing at New Orleans he commented, “I just enjoyed learning from other people. It was a really tough tournament, so I think it was just a pretty big learning experience,” Nganga said.  He adds, “Traveling to New Orleans was definitely a thrill for the team members. Having a chance to traverse state borders to  pursue my passion and compete with my peers is really exciting.” Another fellow competitor, Wren Welky, finished 2nd for her Original Oratory persuasive speech. When asked about her preparation for her speech she stated, “I prepared a ten minute speech, and I memorized it. I do a lot of research and then practice vocal stability to understand my topic.” Both competitors shared a common trait of listening to music as a pre-debate ritual. Nganga listens to a variety of music while Welky listens to Crank That (Soulja Boy) by the artist Soulja Boy.

   The Speech and Debate team has definitely made Conway proud. They serve as an inspiration to be more confident in public speaking, and learning to think on your feet. Speech and debate will only continue to enhance and, like Nganga, open doors to more opportunities in that field and beyond for students. Their next competition is the Saints Classic the weekend of January 9th in Ridgeland, Mississippi. Nganga will compete in the Lincoln-Douglas debate again, and Welky will do a Congressional Debate.