It’s been a busy year for us at Ethos. What with job changes, trying to graduate, applying for college, working on scholarships, and trying to research multiple resolutions in multiple leagues, we’re learning to balance everything.

 Looking back, it’s been a great year. We have enjoyed all the emails asking for case critiques, mulling over ideas, or just chatting. It’s nice to see so many genuinely interested in pursuing this national issue of immigration–what a complex issue. Just last night I (Isaiah) was at my parents’ house discussing the issue with them, my wife, and a couple of former debaters/PHC students (Daniel Watson, Jennifer Lackey, David Snyder). That there were about as many passionate and widely differing opinions on immigration in a room of people with almost identical idealogical backgrounds and political views just highlights the complexity of the immigration issue.

 Anyhow, we promised with the last update to post some more videos, and here they are. 🙂 Kawika Vellalos (PHC’s parli coach) and I have partnered up again for the last semester of our senior year of debate. After almost eight years of debating for me and even more for him, it’s neat that we still learn about as much at every tournament.

 Here’s a really confused round from two weeks ago. The resolution pitted security against freedom and we were GOV (aff) on the freedom side. What you see in this muddied round (two ships…) is the importance of round interpretation. Many of the arguments could have gone either way or didn’t even support one position or the other, but our round interpretation (criteria) was pulled through in Kawika’s final rebuttal and won us the round.

Quarterfinals at LSU’s “Mardi Gras Classic”:  

 Kawika and I weren’t the only ones to do well at that tournament (Isaiah was 1st speaker, K and I were 2nd team to Tim Snyder (4th speaker)/Grace Lichtlyter–there was no debate in finals). In the novice division, NCFCA alum Levi Swank and John Miller won the whole glameel and racked up 1st and 2nd place speaker. You can probably see why in their final round on the resolution “The USFG should increase its presence in Iran:”

Part 1: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5852422491705737247&hl=en 

Part 2: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1001892358961302418&hl=en

By the way, we have been testing out Isaac Evans’ evidence software “Evidence Scribe.” Unlike past programs, this one actually seems like a clever and useful time-saver. That it is an actual program and has handy customizable features is a plus. You should DEFINITELY check it out at http://evidencescribe.com/es/default.aspx .