Speech and Debate Nationals underway at MBHS

Students from all across the country are filling the hallways at Mountain Brook High School on the morning of June 19, but not for classes — for Speech and Debate Nationals. 

For the first two days of competition, June 19 and 20, the high school will be hosting policy debate, and there will be 16 Spartans competing in Nationals. 

Liz Wood-Weas, president of the Alabama Speech and Debate Association and director of Speech and Debate at MBHS, said that while there are only 72 classrooms in the high school, there will be 97 rounds happening concurrently in different spaces.

MBHS is hosting the policy debate rounds, which Wood-Weas previously said is fitting since Mountain Brook is the only high school in the state to have a policy debate team. Competition times for the policy rounds on June 19 are 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. The policy debate rounds will continue on June 20 at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

While the rounds are open to the public, she said most people may not be able to understand what the competitors are saying due to their speed and judges are trained to process anywhere from 200 to 400 words per minute.

Other venues in the Birmingham area include Jackson-Olin High School, Carver High School, the BJCC, Huffman High School, Woodlawn High School and the Sheraton/Westin Complex. For more information and a more complete schedule, or to watch live, click here.