To bring a new addition to the FC campus, a debate team is being introduced to the student body. Being led by Donn Rojeski, husband of junior high teacher Hallie Rojeski, the new club is being brought on as a sort of replacement for the cancellation of the Academic Decathlon.
Rojeski along with the help of Molly Sargent, a former teacher, had the idea for the debate team last year.
“This year I was approached by Todd Bennett [Principal] and Debbie Siebert [Superintendent],” Rojeski said. “When they dropped Academic Decathlon they wanted to do something else similar, but challenge a different range of students.”
Debate teams study a topic and argue the issue with opposing teams about the morality and practicality of the certain subject. The team challenges students by having them learn both sides of an argument for the chosen topic. Tax policy is the issue that has been chosen for this year.
The team does not choose the competing question instead it is chosen by the Logos Forensic Association, a Christian organization. The association picks the topic based on relevance in society.
“We’re working under a group called Logos Forensics Association,” Rojeski said. “It is a christian organization for christian schools exclusively, and they chose the topic for the year.”
Rojeski, has been running and competing in debate team clubs since he was in high school.
“When I was looking for a job after college, a college out in Atlanta was building a debate team and I happened to talk to a fella who was their coach,” Rojeski said. “He said if you want to come out and be our coach we will fund your education.”
Rojeski expressed a desire to give the kids of the debate team similar opportunities. Currently there are 17 students signed up for the team which may be of a set back because most schools have multiple teams.
“I would have been thrilled to have ten,” Rojeski said. “But at the same time, I have four or five that are seniors and so we have to keep adding to the list.”
Although Rojeski is impressed with the turnout he is still a bit concerned about there are only being two girls on the roster.
“What does concern me is that out of the whole list there are only two ladies that are going to be a part of it,” Rojeski said.” You need more you really do. They think a little differently. They approach things from a different perspective and thats really valuable.”
Tyler Breedlove, ’16, is a member of the debate team and gives his reasons for why he joined.
“I joined the team because it seemed interesting and I wanted to know what it was like,” Breedlove said. “I don’t like the tax policy prompt, though. I don’t know much about taxes, but it would probably be nice to know a lot more about it.”
The team is not set to start until January or February due to the late start this year. The team will meet every Wednesday at lunch. If any students are interested in joining, attend the upcoming meeting, Dec. 4.
This writer can be reached via Twitter: @EthanNathe26. Follow The Feather via Twitter: @thefeather.
For more news, read the Nov. 19 article, Convoy of Hope returns to Fresno, aids community (VIDEO).
