On Monday, November 1st, the Brownwood High School debate team traveled to San Angelo to compete in the Region 15-4A Congress Debate Competition. Brownwood students took four of the top six spots in the 4A division. Earning first place was Kali Alvizo, a junior, in her second year of competing. Junior Michael Camp took second place in his first debate competition. Fourth place was secured by Averi Cecil, a junior, also in her first debate competition. Junior Brandon Holland placed 6th in the competition. Peyton Wells, a junior, also competed and just missed placing in the competition.

In September, the debate students drafted congressional legislation addressing national problems. Brownwood sponsored three bills: creating a National ID for voting, legalizing micro-dosing of psychedelics, and regulating child labor on YouTube platforms. There were seventeen other pieces of legislation drafted by other schools at the competition. Debate students then have two three-hour sessions wherein they argue the positives and negatives of each piece of legislation before voting whether to pass the laws. Students must show strong speaking skills, the ability to refute claims made by other students, and think on their feet while being directly questioned by the other students. The competition was intense, and the Brownwood debaters grew stronger as the day went on.

In January, the students that placed 1st and 2nd (Alvizo and Camp) will be competing at the UIL State Congress Debate Competition in Austin. This is Brownwood’s third year competing in this UIL sponsored event, and the team hopes to continue its success in the future. They are coached by Kenan Boland, a former Brownwood High School debater and current social studies teacher at BHS.

“I am very proud of all my debaters,” said Ms. Boland. “Congress debate is intense, and the students must stay focused for three straight hours of arguments. They were exhausted after the first session but went into the afternoon and did even better than in the morning. It is rewarding to see their hard work recognized.”