Ayanna Fletcher’s most memorable moment in a scholarship debate tournament hosted by UTC came when she won the Robert Fisher Spirit Award. She wasn’t expecting it and she was “very surprised” to hear her name called.
“In the time that I had to debate, I learned how to speak in front of people. That was one of my greatest fears. I also learned how to gather all of my thoughts and say them in an intelligent and nice way because when I debate something I have a tendency to come off the wrong way,” explained Fletcher.
Forty students from the debate teams of The Howard School and Brainerd High School came to campus—sixteen participated in the afternoon parliamentary debate rounds where they competed for scholarships. Students engaged in two qualifying rounds before the final debate.
Christian Sinclair, a junior at Brainerd High School and a member of the winning parliamentary team, said he learned how to interact with others. Sinclair enjoyed seeing classmates cheer for the team and receive awards. “Winning means I have done my best and have good results,” said Sinclair.
The tournament was made possible by The Links, the Southeast Center for Education in the Arts (SCEA), the UTC Chancellor’s Multicultural Advisory Council, and sponsored in part by The UTC Theatre Co. and the Office of Equity and Diversity.
The partnership was cultivated by Dr. Joyce Hardaway, who serves on the UTC Chancellor’s Multicultural Advisory Council. She also works with The LINKS, an international organization of more than 12,000 women dedicated to improving the quality of life for others through educational, cultural, and civic activities which has programs at both Brainerd High School and The Howard School.
“The students are engaged, focused, and most importantly they are challenging themselves and their peers to be better and smarter individuals than they were yesterday. That’s what the education system is supposed to do, and that’s why it’s crucial that we continue to provide these outlets for students,” said Hardaway.
SCEA is an outreach organization of UTC’s College of Arts and Sciences that strengthens arts teaching and deepens learning through experiential learning opportunities. SCEA staff have worked with the students each week in preparation for the tournament.
“Programs like debate help students cultivate important real world skills,” said Laurie Melnik, interim SCEA director.
Dr. Bryan Samuel, Director of Equity and Diversity at UTC, played a pivotal role in securing scholarships. They were awarded to:
- Winning Parliamentary Debate Team, Christian Sinclair, Junior, Brainerd High School
- Winning Parliamentary Debate Team, Jasmin Perkins, Junior, Brainerd High School
- Curtis L. Collier Most Outstanding Debater, Montez Bell, Junior, The Howard School
In addition to scholarships, awards were presented to top speakers in group debate and parliamentary debate, top parliamentary teams, and the winning school. The awards included the Walter F. Williams School Award, the Curtis L. Collier Award for the Most Outstanding Debater, and the Robert Fisher Sprit Award.
After the tournament, the Department of Theatre and Speech provided dinner, an overview of the program, and tickets to Young Frankenstein, The Musical.
Jasmine Perkins, a senior at Brainerd High School was part of the winning parliamentary team.
“I have learned how to express myself without getting upset and to listen before responding to others. My most memorable moment was the reaction of my peers as we congratulated each other,” Perkins said. “To me, winning means the ability to show others what I see in myself.”
Montez Ball, who won the Curtis L. Collier Most Outstanding Debater award, said the debate was “incredibly exciting.”
“What I took most from that experience is that whatever or whoever challenges me can only make me so much stronger,” Ball said.
