In their first year, Powell Middle School’s new speech and debate students swept the interpretation category in their first tournament in Worland on Jan. 20.

The students began polishing their speech and debate skills in the first half of the year, and figured out what categories they gravitated toward. Interpretation or “interp” is a team favorite. 

Powell Middle School student Abby Curdy said the event is fun because you get to tell a story and use actions for different characters. 

Fellow student Beth Black said the event is also simpler than debate and it’s fun to do. In the event you get to put your own spin on an established work through actions and voices while keeping the author’s original words.

“You’re just saying the same words that the author wrote down, it doesn’t have to be anything that the author intended really,” Black said.

During their Worland tournament Curdy took fourth in interpretation, Morra Jessup took third, Reina Hansen took second and Beth Black took first. In the debate category the team of Leora Graham and Talon Grau tied for third. 

While Black earned a first place title she didn’t get the medal. She had tied with another student and instead got a pair of sunglasses. 

“Well, she got the medal and I got a pair of sunglasses, they were flamingo sunglasses and I went home and I put a bunch of sticky jewels on them,” Black said. 

She joked that “you gotta make it obvious that they’re a prize.”

Hansen joined the speech and debate team because she enjoys public speaking as well as drama and acting.

“I really wanted to do something [where] I can make new friends and just meet new people,” she said.

Hansen had also worked with some high school students who gave her advice ahead of the Worland competition. 

“They just told me to just have fun and be myself and just live in the moment and pretend no one is there,” Hansen said. 

The high school students have gathered a series of accolades in recent years including multiple Academic All Americans. 

So what’s next for the middle school team members? Jessup and Curdy will be trying out a different script, “Green Eggs and Ham,” at their next competition.