The Lower Columbia College Fighting Smelt Speech & Debate Team earned first place in community college sweepstakes at the Boxer Rebellion speech and debate tournament, hosted by Pacific University on October 27-28. LCC has now placed in the top two in community college sweepstakes at all three speech and debate tournaments to start the season.

The Fighting Smelt rode the individual successes of two first year competitors to achieve this team result.

Mitchell Levy of Kelso advanced to Novice IPDA (public debate) semifinals after successfully affirming the resolution “Democrats should rally behind Medicare For All.” He was eliminated by the eventual tournament champion in the semifinal round.

Ayesha Ahmed of Cathlamet earned sixth place in Novice Impromptu Speaking. In her final round, Ahmed analyzed the Marjorie M. Liu quotation, “they call us monsters because it makes it easier to hurt us, but monsters are people too.” In her speech, she discussed Harriet Tubman, feminism in the 1920s, and the American civil rights movement.

Next up for LCC Speech and Debate is the Mahaffey Memorial Forensics Tournament hosted by Linfield College the weekend of November 16-18.