Speaking to Illuminate our Voices in Advocacy and Knowledge Openly
Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year. Earlier this summer, I visited Walt Disney World with my family. There, we got to visit the mysterious and often confusing land of Pandora. In Pandora, the indigenous Na'vi have a saying: "Sivako". It means "Rise to the Challenge". It is my hope that this year, you face challenges. But I hope that instead of shrinking or falling, you RISE to those challenges. Sivako is a chant or battle cry for the Na'vi, particularly as they prepare to ride their banshees, called "Ikran". We will need to prepare for so much, but together, we can face these challenges and RISE! SIVAKO!!! Speech and debate participation is about honing your speaking, thinking, and advocacy skills to find and use your voice to speak life into things that are important. We believe in the power of our words and through a successful school year, we will SOAR high and explore new heights! Our charge for you this year, is to be willing to fly. We want you to know that the higher you go, the more beautiful your surroundings. We will help you along the way! Mr. Fugler and I are very excited about the things to come. This website will contain much of the information needed to understand what is happening this year. However, we encourage you to email the coaches (Mr. Fugler and Mr. McKenzie) if you have any questions or concerns. We are pumped for this year!
During the summer of 2016, one of our alumni, Kenny Cauthen (K-Dog) unexpectedly passed away. Kenny, who graduated in 2005, helped take this program to new heights winning a state championship in cross-examination debate in 2005 with partner Nicole Yeakley. Kenny would eventually go on to compete collegiately at Baylor and then the University of Texas at Austin. Kenny's legacy in debate extends far beyond Lindale. The community will miss him. We are so proud of all that Kenny achieved and the relationships he fostered within the debate community. So many people were made better (debaters and people) by knowing Kenny.
His family has created a scholarship for Lindale, Baylor, or UT-Austin students. If you would like to commemorate the life of this amazing young man, you can do so by contributing to this fund.
His family has created a scholarship for Lindale, Baylor, or UT-Austin students. If you would like to commemorate the life of this amazing young man, you can do so by contributing to this fund.
Alumni - Let us know where you are and what you're doing. We want to have updated contact information so we can email you about judging and update you on our team when you're away from the nest! Fill out this form!