The winning middle school debate team from Holtville Unified School District will move on to the state competition. (Courtesy of Sandra Kofford) |
While Kassandra Castro, Eric Romero and Lilian Arellano of Calexico weren’t eager to start research during their Christmas break, the more they learned, the more they got excited to compete against other schools in the Imperial Valley.
They spent weeks prepping their speeches and arguing the point with whomever they could, trying to nail down all components of the arguments. When it came down to the final moments — after arguments were made and speeches given — the group was tense waiting to see if they would be the first place winners.
“They worked hard, and they went out to prove themselves,” said Ashly Reitsma, migrant program debate instructor at Calexico High School. “And now they will at state.”
The group from Calexico will be among the more than a dozen of students from the county who will travel to Sacramento for the state competition after winning Saturday’s Migrant Education Program speech and debate tournament.
The local migrant education program held its third speech and debate tournament, and it’s grown every year since it started, said Sandra Kofford, Migrant Education Program Region 6 director. First place winners from Imperial County will head to the state competition May 4 through 6 in Sacramento.
The tournament is a way to teach the basics of speech and communication to the students, many of whom were taught English as a second language, she said.
“We are teaching them English in a fun way,” she said.
The students aren’t the only ones who dedicated their time to the competition, she said. It’s inspiring to see so many community members coming out to support the students.
In total this year, there were 54 community members that served as judges from 7:30 a.m. to about 1 p.m., she said.
“It’s really amazing to see these people supporting our neediest kids,” she said.
The community leaders weren’t the only ones supporting the students, as coaches and teachers worked for weeks and months to prepare their students.
It’s been a rewarding experience, said Rene Agundez, English teacher at Central Union High School and migrant speech coach. The students are “hungry for improvement,” he said.
“I think it offers them a sense of how the written word and the spoken word can really take them places,” he said. “It gives them self-confidence. It’s not easy to get up and speak.”
Gissel Aguirre was nervous the first time she gave her speech. However, the 17-year-old Central Union High School senior soon got over that for the next two speeches.
She was a little disappointed she didn’t win first. Gissel said she did pretty well, taking second place in both extemporaneous and prepared speech. And it was a good experience.
“It’s really cool,” she said. “I had a lot of fun, and I like competing.”
While Gissel is happy with the experience she got, others are preparing for another competition in a few months.
The Calexico High School debate team is planning on continuing the work they’ve already done, memorizing their opening and closing arguments and continuing to study their points.
One thing the group definitely has down is teamwork, as they talked Monday afternoon, joking around about prom and future debates. The team is all about supporting each other now.
“What we learned the most is to work together,” Eric said. “We were complete strangers before this.”
The debates are good life lessons for the three for different reasons. Kassandra wants to be a lawyer, so arguing what she thinks is right helps with that. Eric sees the public speaking as an opportunity to practice talking in front of a crowd, as he wants to be a film director and teach.
For Lilian, who wants to be a dentist, there won’t be a direct benefit from debating. However, the others joked with her that she can always argue that point now with the training she’s getting.
Staff Writer Elizabeth Varin can be reached at evarin@ivpressonline.com or 760-337-3441.
By the numbers
90 students competed in 2010
120 students competed in 2011
164 students competed in 2012
Breakout
Winners at the Imperial County Office of Education-Migrant Education Program regional speech and debate tournament
Fourth-grade students
Prepared speech winners
First place Erica Soberanes, Meadows Union Elementary School District
Second place Ricardo Mendes, Holtville Unified School District
Third place Abril Padilla, Holtville Unified School District
Extemporaneous speech winners
First place Erica Soberanes, Meadows Union Elementary School District
Second place Ricardo Mendes, Holtville Unified School District
Third place Abril Padilla, Holtville Unified School District
Fifth-grade students
Prepared speech winners
First place Montserrat Gonzales, Holtville Unified School District
Second place Rosalva Cano, Meadows Union Elementary School District
Third place Isabel Cuevas, Meadows Union Elementary School District
Extemporaneous speech winners
First place Kendra Barrera, Imperial Unified School District
Second place Montserrat Gonzales, Holtville Unified School District
Third place Julian Puentes, Calipatria Unified School District
Sixth-grade students
Prepared speech winners
First place Sujey Ocegueda, Meadows Union Elementary School District
Second place Marisol Chaing, Heber Elementary School District
Third place Eric Becerra, Meadows Union Elementary School District
Extemporaneous speech winners
First place Cecilia Aguilera, Brawley Elementary School District
Second place Montserrat Gonzales, Meadows Union Elementary School District
Third place Stephanie Valencia, Calipatria Unified School District
Seventh-grade students
Prepared speech winners
First place Priscilla Leyva, Heber Elementary School District
Second place Anthony Brambila, Westmorland Union Elementary School District
Third place Yulissa Ochoa, El Centro Elementary School District
Extemporaneous speech winners
First place Priscilla Leyva, Heber Elementary School District
Second place Anthony Brambila, Westmorland Union Elementary School District
Third place Yulissa Ochoa, El Centro Elementary School District
Eighth-grade students
Prepared speech winners
First place Sydney Savannah Anguiano, Heber Elementary School District
Second place Selene Almaguer-Morales, San Pasqual Valley Unified School District
Third place Delia Raygoza, Heber Elementary School District
Extemporaneous speech winners
First place Delia Raygoza, Heber Elementary School District
Second place Savannah Anguiano, Heber Elementary School District
Third place Ricardo Leal, El Centro Elementary School District
Ninth-grade students
Prepared speech winners
First place Claudia Joselyn Rodriguez, Southwest High School
Extemporaneous speech winners
First place Claudia Joselyn Rodriguez, Southwest High School
Tenth-grade students
Prepared speech winners
First place Rubi Ledezma, Imperial High School
Second place Hector Mendoza, Calipatria High School
Extemporaneous speech winners
First place Hector Mendoza, Calipatria High School
Second place Rubi Ledezma, Imperial High School
Eleventh-grade students
Prepared speech winners
First place Dharla Torres, Central Union High School
Second place Cesar Barreras, Imperial High School
Third place Reynalda Quintero, Calipatria High School
Extemporaneous speech winners
First place Dharla Torres, Central Union High School
Second place Cesar Barreras, Imperial High School
Third place Jane Silva, Calipatria High School
Twelfth-grade students
Prepared speech winners
First place Victor Peralta, Holtville High School
Second place Gissel Aguirre, Central Union High School
Third place Leslie Fonseca, Southwest High School
Extemporaneous speech winners
First place Victor Peralta, Holtville High School
Second place Gissel Aguirre, Central Union High School
Third place Adrian Acosta, Southwest High School
Debate
Middle School
First place Holtville Unified School District
Second place Heber Elementary School District
Third place Calexico Unified School District
High school
First place Calexico High School Team A
Second place Holtville High School Team B
Third place Central Union High School Team B
They spent weeks prepping their speeches and arguing the point with whomever they could, trying to nail down all components of the arguments. When it came down to the final moments — after arguments were made and speeches given — the group was tense waiting to see if they would be the first place winners.
“They worked hard, and they went out to prove themselves,” said Ashly Reitsma, migrant program debate instructor at Calexico High School. “And now they will at state.”
The group from Calexico will be among the more than a dozen of students from the county who will travel to Sacramento for the state competition after winning Saturday’s Migrant Education Program speech and debate tournament.
The local migrant education program held its third speech and debate tournament, and it’s grown every year since it started, said Sandra Kofford, Migrant Education Program Region 6 director. First place winners from Imperial County will head to the state competition May 4 through 6 in Sacramento.
The tournament is a way to teach the basics of speech and communication to the students, many of whom were taught English as a second language, she said.
“We are teaching them English in a fun way,” she said.
The students aren’t the only ones who dedicated their time to the competition, she said. It’s inspiring to see so many community members coming out to support the students.
In total this year, there were 54 community members that served as judges from 7:30 a.m. to about 1 p.m., she said.
“It’s really amazing to see these people supporting our neediest kids,” she said.
The community leaders weren’t the only ones supporting the students, as coaches and teachers worked for weeks and months to prepare their students.
It’s been a rewarding experience, said Rene Agundez, English teacher at Central Union High School and migrant speech coach. The students are “hungry for improvement,” he said.
“I think it offers them a sense of how the written word and the spoken word can really take them places,” he said. “It gives them self-confidence. It’s not easy to get up and speak.”
Gissel Aguirre was nervous the first time she gave her speech. However, the 17-year-old Central Union High School senior soon got over that for the next two speeches.
She was a little disappointed she didn’t win first. Gissel said she did pretty well, taking second place in both extemporaneous and prepared speech. And it was a good experience.
“It’s really cool,” she said. “I had a lot of fun, and I like competing.”
While Gissel is happy with the experience she got, others are preparing for another competition in a few months.
The Calexico High School debate team is planning on continuing the work they’ve already done, memorizing their opening and closing arguments and continuing to study their points.
One thing the group definitely has down is teamwork, as they talked Monday afternoon, joking around about prom and future debates. The team is all about supporting each other now.
“What we learned the most is to work together,” Eric said. “We were complete strangers before this.”
The debates are good life lessons for the three for different reasons. Kassandra wants to be a lawyer, so arguing what she thinks is right helps with that. Eric sees the public speaking as an opportunity to practice talking in front of a crowd, as he wants to be a film director and teach.
For Lilian, who wants to be a dentist, there won’t be a direct benefit from debating. However, the others joked with her that she can always argue that point now with the training she’s getting.
Staff Writer Elizabeth Varin can be reached at evarin@ivpressonline.com or 760-337-3441.
By the numbers
90 students competed in 2010
120 students competed in 2011
164 students competed in 2012
Breakout
Winners at the Imperial County Office of Education-Migrant Education Program regional speech and debate tournament
Fourth-grade students
Prepared speech winners
First place Erica Soberanes, Meadows Union Elementary School District
Second place Ricardo Mendes, Holtville Unified School District
Third place Abril Padilla, Holtville Unified School District
Extemporaneous speech winners
First place Erica Soberanes, Meadows Union Elementary School District
Second place Ricardo Mendes, Holtville Unified School District
Third place Abril Padilla, Holtville Unified School District
Fifth-grade students
Prepared speech winners
First place Montserrat Gonzales, Holtville Unified School District
Second place Rosalva Cano, Meadows Union Elementary School District
Third place Isabel Cuevas, Meadows Union Elementary School District
Extemporaneous speech winners
First place Kendra Barrera, Imperial Unified School District
Second place Montserrat Gonzales, Holtville Unified School District
Third place Julian Puentes, Calipatria Unified School District
Sixth-grade students
Prepared speech winners
First place Sujey Ocegueda, Meadows Union Elementary School District
Second place Marisol Chaing, Heber Elementary School District
Third place Eric Becerra, Meadows Union Elementary School District
Extemporaneous speech winners
First place Cecilia Aguilera, Brawley Elementary School District
Second place Montserrat Gonzales, Meadows Union Elementary School District
Third place Stephanie Valencia, Calipatria Unified School District
Seventh-grade students
Prepared speech winners
First place Priscilla Leyva, Heber Elementary School District
Second place Anthony Brambila, Westmorland Union Elementary School District
Third place Yulissa Ochoa, El Centro Elementary School District
Extemporaneous speech winners
First place Priscilla Leyva, Heber Elementary School District
Second place Anthony Brambila, Westmorland Union Elementary School District
Third place Yulissa Ochoa, El Centro Elementary School District
Eighth-grade students
Prepared speech winners
First place Sydney Savannah Anguiano, Heber Elementary School District
Second place Selene Almaguer-Morales, San Pasqual Valley Unified School District
Third place Delia Raygoza, Heber Elementary School District
Extemporaneous speech winners
First place Delia Raygoza, Heber Elementary School District
Second place Savannah Anguiano, Heber Elementary School District
Third place Ricardo Leal, El Centro Elementary School District
Ninth-grade students
Prepared speech winners
First place Claudia Joselyn Rodriguez, Southwest High School
Extemporaneous speech winners
First place Claudia Joselyn Rodriguez, Southwest High School
Tenth-grade students
Prepared speech winners
First place Rubi Ledezma, Imperial High School
Second place Hector Mendoza, Calipatria High School
Extemporaneous speech winners
First place Hector Mendoza, Calipatria High School
Second place Rubi Ledezma, Imperial High School
Eleventh-grade students
Prepared speech winners
First place Dharla Torres, Central Union High School
Second place Cesar Barreras, Imperial High School
Third place Reynalda Quintero, Calipatria High School
Extemporaneous speech winners
First place Dharla Torres, Central Union High School
Second place Cesar Barreras, Imperial High School
Third place Jane Silva, Calipatria High School
Twelfth-grade students
Prepared speech winners
First place Victor Peralta, Holtville High School
Second place Gissel Aguirre, Central Union High School
Third place Leslie Fonseca, Southwest High School
Extemporaneous speech winners
First place Victor Peralta, Holtville High School
Second place Gissel Aguirre, Central Union High School
Third place Adrian Acosta, Southwest High School
Debate
Middle School
First place Holtville Unified School District
Second place Heber Elementary School District
Third place Calexico Unified School District
High school
First place Calexico High School Team A
Second place Holtville High School Team B
Third place Central Union High School Team B
