What is Debate at HHS?

At Hastings Senior High School, debate has two classes: congress and exploration. Both of these classes are taught by Delta Fajardo. 

While focusing on different topics, the classes still bond together. There are a few different debate styles offered at Hastings High. They have Lincoln Douglas which is a competitive one-on-one debate. Another style is Public Forum which centers on current events and relies on both logic and evidence. The final style is Congress which is a competitive interscholastic debate. 

“I think this team does so much, and we are a good show of how you can look fear in the face and say I’m still going to use my voice, I’m still going to speak my truth even though speaking makes me afraid,” Mrs. Fajardo said.

The exploration class focuses on students having a discussion and philosophy debate, while congress deals with real world issues and possible laws and policies. Debate has made it to eight national tournaments in the past 20 years since Mrs. Fajardo has been running it. There are around 11-14 different schools that participate in the tournaments. 

“I love it, it’s hard but I love it,” said Mrs. Fajardo. 

Last year, during various tournaments in congress, Lincoln Southwest took most of the awards. During the end of the school year, students were saying they wanted to be like them. 

“I feel like sometimes debaters, since they haven’t seen what it was before they don’t realize that we have the power to be that way, and we have the capability to be that way,” Mrs. Fajardo said. 

Debate studies topics for different cases. Even though debate focuses on getting work in class, they find a way to take breaks outside of school and bond. 

“They make you feel like you’re part of a family,” freshman Yaelin Giron Oros said. 

The class is offered to try and help students become better at public speaking. The class changes cases for a competitive edge.

“I feel like if someone is up for the challenge and wants to learn how to argue in a good way, they should take the class. It’s really fun,” Oros said.

Debate has novice of the month, which is a first year student who has been working hard in the class. They are chosen by the officers in debate. During the year, students start to become close with one another at their bondings. 

“The bonding is to increase team morale and they go pretty well as it’s a good way for novices to get to know the officers,” junior Erik Briones said.