• Volunteers need only contribute an hour or two this weekend.
Star Valley High School’s Speech and Debate team is hosting a tournament at SVHS this weekend. The tournament is in need of judges for the event, which runs Friday from 3-9 p.m. and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Adult community members are invited and encouraged to volunteer as judges in support of the team.
“We could really use some more community judges to help us host,” shared Advisor, Katie Roberts in an interview via email with SVI Media on Monday, explaining that volunteers are not expected to stay at the event all day. They only need to judge for an hour or two. “For one hour of your time, local adults will help our tournament be a success. Students at the tournament break up into small rounds for their debate or performance. An adult is needed in every round. Where sports rely on a few officials, speech needs many adults at one time.”
Community members who are interested in serving as a judge can sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/
The online sign-up form offers links that explain each event and the form also has a link that explains step-by-step how to register on Tabroom.com.
“Once in the classroom, the judge starts the round, observes and records who wins or loses, or who places first, second, third and so on,” said Roberts. “The judge does not tell the competitors in person their decision, but records it on their device on the Tabroom.com website. The judge can also go to our amazing hospitality room where Nicki Heiner and her culinary arts students feed them, which is the best part!”
Events being judged include debates, extemporaneous speaking on current events, dramatic and humorous performances, Poetry, Original Oratory, impromptu pieces, and more.
This tournament is a fundraiser for the SVHS team. SVHS team members do not compete, but rather serve as hosts for the teams that come to compete, and serve as support staff for the judges as they evaluate each event. Guest teams’ entry fees go toward supporting the SVHS team’s work and travel through the long fall-winter season.
Current teams registered to compete this weekend include Green River, Jackson, Worland, Evanston, and Lander. Community members who would like to attend an event close by in which the SVHS team members are competing can plan to visit Jackson Hole High School on Feb 2-3.
“Volunteers do not need to worry if they know the ins and outs of the events, but rather they just need to come and let personal biases go and judge on arguments and performances,” explained Roberts. “In a nutshell, you just need an opinion. We really appreciate our amazing community helping us each year.”
In SVHS team news, last weekend, Star Valley placed 2nd at the Rocks Springs Quacktastic Tournament. The following students earned points toward the team placement: Emilio Torres – 5th in Drama, Fennec Burton – 5th in Point of Information, Evan Dietz – Lincoln Douglas Debate and Special Senior Award (the only one awarded at the tournament), Brooklyn Bach – Semifinals birth in Lincoln Douglas Debate, Alee Johnson – 5th in Extemporaneous.
The team’s next competitive event will be December 8-9 in Green River.
