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Double the Pleasure: Congratulations to Northwest University students Kortney Thoma and Cassi Crawford for reaching the final round of junior division at the Lower Columbia College Debate in Longview, Washington on November 3 and 4.
It was the second
year in a row that Kortney won second place at the Lower Columbia
tournament.
Last year she and her partner placed second too.
In addition to wins and losses, students are ranked on speaking ability and the top three speakers are given awards.
On a two to one vote of the judges, the women were defeated by Seattle Pacific University in the final round late Saturday affirming the resolution: The Supreme Court was right about eminent domain.
Topics for the pre-elimination rounds included education reform, negative campaigning, African AIDS relief, affirmative action and farm subsidies.
19 colleges and universities brought 90 debate teams to the 34th annual tournament, including Oregon State University, Pacific University, Humboldt State, Washington State University and the University of Portland. Two schools came from out of the region to attend – William Cary University (Mississippi) and Stephen Austin University (Texas).
Two other Northwest University students were recognized. Kevin Botterbusch was the sixth best open division debate speaker out of twenty. Elly Kazakova was the sixth best novice debate speaker out of fifty.
Off to Oxford
Wednesday, November 8 the team will cross the venerable pond to challenge top students at tournaments at Oxford and Cambridge Universities. The team hopes that the UK meets will help prepare them for the World’s Universities Debating Championships at the University of British Columbia, Canada from December 28 to January 2 in Vancouver, BC when more than 800 students from five continents will compete for the title of best in the world.
On January 4 and 5 Northwest Students will face Oxford University students Alex Goodman nt of the Oxford Debating Society -- and his partner Alex Just in two public debates on the eastside. Kortney Thoma and NU Debate Team Captain Jed Nelsen will face Oxford at the Kirkland City Council Chambers at 7:30 PM on Thursday, January 4. The debate will be televised on KGOV. Topic: The United States would be better off if it looked more like Great Britain. Oxford will affirm.
Nathan Cambers and Kevin Botterbusch will debate the Oxford team at 12 PM Friday, January 5 on the Microsoft campus in Redmond. The topic will be: The first world is the third world’s best hope for sustainable development. Northwest will affirm.
Gary Gillespie
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