Becton recently hosted a successful debate on Wednesday, Nov. 17 where the districts of Westwood, Cresskill, River Dell, North Bergen, and Tenafly came to debate! Each year, the National Speech and Debate Association decides the year’s next new topic and this year the National High School Policy debate topic was, “Fiscal Redistribution Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase fiscal redistribution in the United States by adopting a federal jobs guarantee, expanding Social Security, and/or providing a basic income.”
Mika Tampadong, one of Becton’s junior debaters, reflects on the debate tournament, “Becton did a great job with hosting the debate, especially considering we were on a time crunch as periods were shorter. Nonetheless, we still got all of the rounds started and completed on time.” Another debater, Baback Ghalamsiah, comments the organization of the event, “Becton always provides debaters with a tournament setting like no other.”
Typically, a traditional debate day starts off with picking the most professional outfit, arriving to school on time, eating the generous food the host school provides, and mentally preparing for upcoming debates. Though these days are typically laborious and require lots of work, or as advisor Mr. Carr puts it are, “VERY BUSY,” Becton debaters always stay punctual and focused.
However, there are plenty of additional steps that go into planning and hosting a debate. It all starts weeks ahead with lunch practices and assigning jobs. There are not just positions of debaters and judges, students like Claudia Da Mata are in charge of getting everyone to where they were supposed to be, on time, during the debate day. Tampadong shares, “Although we assign jobs and give everyone a list of where they are supposed to be, there are minute-to-minute tasks that are crucial. From finding rooms for the debates to be held in, determining the number of participants and thus how many rooms are needed, as well as what periods the debates will be, and how the ballots will make their way back to the coaches dictating who won the debate…the day is hectic!”
Nonetheless, as always, Becton hosted a successful debate and pulled through winning third place (3 – 1, 104 points) thanks to debaters Karolina Rupinski and Baback Ghalamsiah. The overall winner of the debate was Westwood 4 – 0, with 120 points.
Congratulations to Mr.Carr and his wonderful team! Becton will host it’s next debate January 16th.
