The McHenry County College (MCC) Speech and Debate Team recently had a successful weekend competing in two local tournaments. On December 1 and 2, the team participated in the Shadwell/Dittus Speech and Debate Tournament hosted by Elgin Community College. On Sunday, December 3, they traveled to the Alumni Classic Tournament, hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Mark Luchsinger, a first-time debater from McHenry, was a semi-finalist in International Public Debate, a style that puts competitors one-on-one to address the important topics of the day. Luchsinger also ranked 4th place in Individual Speaker Sweepstakes. Elsbeth Haylock from Hebron placed 6th in Persuasive Speaking at the Elgin Community College tournament and 3rd in Persuasive Speaking at the UW-Whitewater tournament.
Program Director Bonnie Gabel was thrilled with the team's performance, saying, "This was a solid way to end the first semester."
Assistant coach Sarah Metivier Schadt, who is an MCC alum, also expressed her pride in the team's success.
The Speech and Debate Team is looking forward to next semester's competition, which will culminate at the Phi Rho Pi national tournament held in Reno, NV in April 2024.
MCC’s Speech and Debate team competes in a variety of oral interpretation and public speaking events throughout the year. The group focuses on the performance of literature, platform speaking, and debate to enhance the development of communication skills.