As the debate team attends more tournaments, they will continue to set many ambitious goals. The team is working hard with each other to not only increase participation at upcoming tournaments but also create a sense of family among members.

David Munson, the new debate teacher, is excited to lend a helping hand to all students and teach new students about debate.

“I was on the Lamar debate team when I was here as a high school student so it is interesting to see a little bit of myself in some of the students,” Munson said. “In general, I have found my time here currently to be with a sense of newness or novelty.” 

Munson has numerous plans for the debate team and is proud of the current progress and perseverance of the members. Munson’s goal is to get his advanced students to obtain some of the best debate experience.

“I want to find ways to travel further with our advanced students,” Munson said. “They need the ability to go out there and get experience. “I’m also excited to put together an in-person tournament hosted by our school in January.”

Munson is not the only debate leader with big expectations for the team. Team Captains Mischa Wijesekera and Khanh Dang noticed the team’s excellence this year. Both captains hope to see the debate team grow.

“We’ve already had about four tournaments and there’s a few more coming up,” Wijesekera said. “I’m excited for the upcoming tournaments because everyone has worked very hard.”

Dang loves her new role and works diligently to create the best experience possible for students.

“I make sure my teammates show up to practices and we share debate prep,” Dang said. “Most importantly I try my best to create a fun and supportive environment for my team. I love seeing my team succeed.”

Although the debate team has had multiple coaches in a span of a few years, senior Diya Vettical is proud of the team’s performance. 

“I’ve been on the Lamar team all four years of high school but started doing debate my sixth grade year,” Vettical said. “I think the team has evolved in many different ways since my freshman year. We’ve learned from the different coaches, we’ve had so learning from different perspectives have impacted our progress and evolution.” 

The debate team is always looking to add more competitors to the team and it’s open to anyone who is interested in public speaking or honing any individual skills. There are numerous events that can be a perfect fit for anyone looking to try something new. 

“It’s easier to build habits from nothing than to break bad habits and build better ones,” Munson said.