(Photo courtesy of Parker School)

MEDIA RELEASE

The Parker School Debate Team won the sweepstakes trophy at the Iolani Debate Qualifying Tournament last month on Oahu.

The team competed against nine other schools and earned a total of 36 points (to Punahou’s 18 and Iolani’s 15). Eleven more Parker students qualified for States (a total of 23 have qualified now so far this season).

The last time Parker won this particular tournament was in 2010.

The tournament results for Parker School students are as follows: in Beginning Public Forum Debate, Sean Dunnington and Anna McFarland earned 1st place, Max Paas and Muhammad Khan came in 3rd, and Shione Mochizuki and Zach Gooding earned 4th; in Advanced Public Forum Debate, Luke Potter and Jaren Ashcraft came in 1st; in Novice Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Athena Coley placed 1st, Eitan Machala earned 4th, and Jaipal Brar came in 5th; in Championship Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Savannah Harriman-Pote placed 2nd; in Junior Varsity Policy Debate, Josh Yost and Kosuke Kume earned 1st, and Bradley Smith and Susie Krall came in 4th place.

—

PARKER HOSTS SPEECH, DEBATE NEIGHBOR ISLAND TOURNAMENT

Parker School hosted the Speech & Debate Neighbor Island Tournament (NIT) on Jan. 16-17.

Nearly 200 students from 12 schools (Parker was the only non-Oahu school) participated in the tournament, making it the largest NIT in many years.

At the event, Parker students earned medals and qualified for the debate state tournament and two earned medals and qualified for the speech state tournament.

This total of 14 is the most students Parker has qualified for states at the NIT.

Parker student results are as follows: In Beginning Public Forum Debate, Anna McFarland and Sean Dunnington placed 2nd; in Advanced Public Forum Debate, Luke Potter and Jaren Ashcraft placed 3rd; in Novice Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Athena Coley placed 1st and Bryan Bollinger 2nd; in Championship Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Carrie Hiller took 1st and Sivan Najita 3rd; in Junior Varsity Policy Debate, Nya Phillips and Keaton Farrell came in 1st, and Josh Yost and Kosuke Kume, 2nd; in speech, Matthew Bal qualified for states in Impromptu Speaking, and Muhammad Khan (exchange student from Pakistan) qualified in Oratory.

—

ANOTHER TROPHY FOR PARKER DEBATE TEAM

The Parker School debate team returned home from the Dec. 20 Punahou School Speech and Debate Non-Qualifying Tournament with the sweepstakes trophy for the largest number of ballots earned.

Parker’s was the only non-Oahu team out of the 19 schools competing and outpointed Punahou, 82-55.

For percentage of ballots won, Parker earned 65%, a close second to Iolani’s 67%.

Parker debate coach and headmaster Dr. Carl Sturges said, “I was particularly pleased with this percentage result, as we were missing several of our top debaters who were on the mainland for the holidays, and our reserves stepped up and won at the same rate as the team did at the November tournament.”

Parker’s fledgling speech team, new this year, also did well in their first-ever competition, finishing in second place to Kamehameha-Kapalama for the highest percentage of superior ratings earned.

Parker senior Michael Note received a superior rating in International Extemporaneous Speaking and junior Sarah Bellatti received a superior rating in Program Reading.

The following debate students earned a score of 6-0: Jaipal Brar in Novice Lincoln-Douglas Debate; Sivan Najita in Championship Lincoln-Douglas; Nya Phillips and Susie Krall and Macey Note and Zoe Vann in Junior Varsity Policy (Macey Note and Zoe Vann are only eighth graders, with a season record of 11-1).

The following students earned 5-1: Zach Gooding and Muhammad Khan in Beginning Public Forum; Luke Potter and Jaren Ashcraft in Advanced Public Forum; Owen Matsuda in Novice Lincoln-Douglas; Carrie Hiller and Dash Cotton in Championship Lincoln-Douglas; and Josh Yost and Kosuke Kume in Junior Varsity Policy.

— Find out more:
www.parkerschoolhawaii.org