By Tom Hanlon
It has been a big year for the Jemez Mountain Home School Speech and Debate Team, which is celebrating its 15th consecutive year of high school speech and debate competition in New Mexico.
With only five Varsity the v on varsity is lowercase members, three JV (middle school), and one 6th spell this out grade apprentice on its current roster, what the team lacks in size.
Since its establishment on Sept. 28, 1998, more than 60 students have passed through the program with several earning State and All-American recognition. This year is no exception. As a member of the New Mexico Speech and Debate Association and the National Forensic League, Jemez Mountain students compete with private, public, no commas before and and charter school students from across the state, as well as at the NFL National Tournament.
Each year for roughly seven months during the regular season, debaters compete in a variety of events at tournaments that are hosted by high schools all over the state. Some of these events are interpretations of either humorous or dramatic stories, in which competitors use voices and physical gestures to bring a story to life.