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Home > Archive > Apr 26, 2007

Students Work up Steam Debating Energy Issues
By Katrice Schimbeck
Staff Writer

Should Utah increase the production and use of renewable energy sources? Are renewable energy resources more important than economic concerns? Junior debaters from around the region met Friday, April 13, for a tournament at Millcreek High School to express their views on these questions. The views expressed most logically and persuasively received medals. Middle school student winners will travel to state competition in Salt Lake later this month.
“It’s good to argue. You get experience and persuasive speaking skills,” Bill Sefita, of Dixie Middle School, said.
There were more than 30 policy teams and more than 20 Lincoln-Douglas entries in the tournament, which lasted three rounds. Policy debate teams consist of two students working together, each with speeches to persuade the judge to vote their way. An affirmative case must include a policy for dealing with the problem. Lincoln-Douglas debate is one individual debating another, using values to sway the judge or audience.
“It’s fun. You get to argue with people about stuff,” Korbin Oakden, of Beaver, said.
This debate program is sponsored by the National Energy Foundation, and always deals with topics on energy.
Cases deal with deforestation, holes in the ozone and the melting of the glaciers and arctic caps. The students become aware of what they feel causes global warming. Students argued about alternative fuels and their economic viability.
“The kids realize the problems and realize it’s their generation that will have to make the transition and make it work,” Laree Jones, Gifted and Talented coordinator, said. 
She also talked about Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth,” and how the media gives students a lot of information to use to prove their points.
This debate activity has been in the district for 15 years, with the first two years’ teams garnering third-place and second-place trophies. 
“We always come away with a lot of speaker awards,” Jones said.
“It’s fun and sometimes challenging,” Gabrielle Hardy, from Dixie Middle School, said.
The 15 years has seen the activity change from being largely popular in the elementary schools to more popular in intermediate and middle schools. Federal regulations have limited time elementary teachers can give to extra programs.
The activity brought students from schools around the district and as far away as Beaver.
“You get to be known and people get to know you,” James Joseph, an eighth-grader from Beaver, said.

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