The speech and debate team is attending a tournament Friday-Monday at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.

“We’ve been going to tournaments all year,” speech/debate teacher Tami Parker said. “Those who are going to Stanford have been preparing by researching, pulling pieces together, and constantly practicing. I think this will be a big push and focus for them, especially for the events they’re competing in at Stanford.”

Students will be competing in a different region from their normal competitions in the Dallas Circuit.

“We’re going to get very different type of judges [in California], so that will teach the kids about judge adaptation and how to adapt to that situation,” Parker said. “They will also see different types of performances because obviously in California you’re talking about different selections and pieces. Each region kind of has their own personality so by going to California it will prepare the kids for what we might see if we qualify for regionals.”

Attending the tournament in California also allows students opportunities to be scouted by other universities.

“Stanford is a good way for other schools to see you,” Parker said. “Debate tournaments are just like tournaments for the football and baseball teams. I know how that sounds but I say this because they are scouted as well and since this [tournament] is at a university it has a better chance of being looked at by other colleges.”

Competing is not the only thing the speech/debate team will do in California.

“We’re also hoping to visit the Apple campus while we’re there,” Parker said. “But if we don’t get the chance then we still get to take a school tour of Stanford’s campus, which is just as cool.”