The Lennox Debate team competed at the State Debate tournament held in Watertown on March 1 and 2. The students had many strong finishes including a state champion.
Competing with the team were senior Gunnar Geiken, senior McKenzie Ritenour, sophomore Gavin Swier, sophomore Emersen Lee, freshman Madix Havard, freshman Noah Sitter, and freshman Maddigan VanSickle.
The public forum teams went 1-2 in their rounds, and both were just one ballot away from breaking to quarter-finals. Gavin Swier placed fifth in informative speaking. McKenzie Ritternour was a state semi-finalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate. Gunnar Geiken finished the tournament as the state runner-up in Lincoln-Douglas and was the state champion in international extemporaneous speaking.
“I am very proud of the work and effort of this group. We have two amazing seniors that were able to let their talents shine and will be missed. One of the best aspects for any coach is the opportunity to watch students grow and improve. While we will miss those two wonderful students, I am excited from everything I saw in our youngest members. They will only get stronger as they gain experience.” stated coach Mike Larson.
While the regular season is over for the high school team, there are still two more events for the 2023-2024 school season. The team will be traveling to Watertown for the national student congress qualifier on March 11. The team will also be participating in the National Tournament held in Des Moines this June.