The Powell High School speech and debate team had a season to be envied by any competitive team, sports or otherwise.

Duo team Jaxton Braten and Elsie Spomer placed second in the state, and took first in duet within Class 3A; like sports, teams are classified by the size of the school.

Aiden Chandler and Dacovney Brochu took first in public forum debate in 3A, while Isabella Gomez placed third in the state for Congress. Each of those students also qualified for the national competition to be held June 13-18, virtually.

The PHS team also had a long list of freshmen who lettered for speech and debate, a special kind of honor, because they must earn 100 points during the season in limited competition to letter. Those freshmen include Emma Johnson in Lincoln-Douglas debate, Liz Peterson in the same event as well as oratory, Allie Gilliatt in humor, Nolan Reitz in humor and Gomez in Congress.

But there is so much more to this team of 18 to 35 students that it is hard to grasp.

To begin understanding the relationship these students have built, it is first necessary to know what kind of people seek out public speaking. 

“A lot of these kids come in here with something to say, and this is their stage,” said head coach Nicole Maier Reitz.

They might be athletes. There are some soccer players who skip out for practice on this particular afternoon. There are band members, choir members and some kids who concentrate on speech.

They come from all ends of the social and political spectrum. Several are members of the school’s Gay-Straight Alliance. Some are evangelical Christians. Their presentations for speech and debate often reflect that.

But unlike many adults across the nation today, there is no division here. Each team member respects and accepts every other member without reservation.

“They all like to hang out together,” said assistant coach Chris Jeide. 

“We hang out outside of speech all the time,” chimed in team captain Anna Atkinson.

In a year when most of the competitions have been virtual, how did this group bond tighter than super glue?

Kaitlyn O’Rourke, a senior, performed a duo with McKenna Alley, a sophomore. The piece — that had not been performed before — was one they found on a speech and debate website. It dealt with a same-sex male couple who rushed to California as soon as that state legalized same-sex marriage, only for one of them to be murdered in a hate crime. 

To accomplish the piece, O’Rourke explained their emotions had to be raw and real.

“We share our emotions and we’re honest. To be good at this, we have to put our emotions out there and that brings everyone closer,” O’Rourke said.

Alley echoed those thoughts. But because everyone is taking the same risk by making themselves vulnerable emotionally, and because they are met with respect and acceptance, the bonds deepen and grow.

O’Rourke said she would not hesitate to trust any team member with her life, because she knew they had her back.

At what would seem to be the opposite end of the spectrum, Taryn Feller, a sophomore, performs in oratory. It is more of a problem and solution event. She spoke this year on respecting religion, a topic she chose because of the religious persecution of Christians in many nations today.

Her discussions centered on respecting all religions, and is fueled by the hate and disrespect shown Christianity worldwide. But it also includes the precept that other religions — Judaism, Islam, Hindu, Buddhist and a myriad of other religions — should all be respected rather than persecuted.

Feller is as close to the other team members as she is with her own family.

In fact, that term, family, is the one the students bring up time after time. They have their own hierarchy, with coaches serving as “team moms.” They’re aided by manager Ashley Dunkerley, who assists with sign ups, making sure each competitor is in the correct event, and also orders meals for the team members.

It isn’t uncommon for the team to eat together anyway. When they recently competed in a virtual event, they held a team meal they prepared themselves, working together for each other.

They have what any team would envy: true camaraderie and the best interests of other members at heart.

There are 13 events in which speech and debate teams may participate

Here are some descriptions of those events:

• Congress

Participants debate student-written legislation operating inside correct parliamentary procedure. They must be extremely attentive for three hours of discussion.

• Humorous interpretation

A single participant performs a previously published entertaining interlude

• Lincoln-Douglas debate

Each participant takes a pro or con stance on a value or moral topic. They are only given the side they are to support about a half-hour before the competition and write their own speech. 

The affirmative takes six minutes, there is a cross examination of three minutes, followed by the negative stance speaking for seven minutes, cross exam for three minutes, an affirmative rebuttal for four minutes and a final speech for each side. Topics are sent out a month in advance.

• Public forum debate

A two-on-two event, with the topic decided a month in advance. Each two-person team researches, writes and offers facts and evidence to support their side of the argument. One member offers the evidence and the other rebuts or attacks the argument. 

The team presents its case for four minutes, followed by a questioning period of three minutes. Once the other team has had the same presentation time, there is a back and forth with teams taking turns, for four minutes. Then each team is subject to a cross examination of three minutes, followed by a three-minute summary speech. Then the grand crossfire ensues, where all four contestants can question one another — the most intense portion of the event. 

The event ends with a final two-minute rebuttal, where each side presents its argument on why they should win.

• Oratory

A presenter-written speech to highlight a problem and suggest a solution.

• Informative

A presenter-written speech to convince, inform or persuade the listener. 

• Duo

Participants perform a previously published piece whether dramatic or humorous.