On Wednesday, Grady hosted the Region 5AA debate tournament. Competitors from Grady, Union Grove and Pace Academy competed.

The Grady Team, consisting of affirmative debaters, Katherine and Kimberly Hagan, and negative debaters, Joel Lemuel and Thi Lam, tied with the Pace Academy on ballots: each team won an equal number of rounds. The tie break on speaker points did not go our way; we lost by 3 1/2 points (a narrow margin) Joel Lemuel was recognized as the top negative speaker.

Though the result was disappointing, these students are to be commended. No other team has tied with Pace in region competition for more than fifteen years, and no other team has won a ballot against them in the state tournament. Sadly, because in Debate, unlike other GHSA competitions, only the top team advances to state, we will not get to compete at the state championship.

On the weekend of January 31-February 1, the Forensics Team competed at the Centennial Crystal Classic. Several students advanced to elimination rounds.

In Oral Interpretation, Nanyamka Shukura placed sixth overall. In Original Oratory, Matthews Westmoreland placed fifth.

In novice policy debate, Claire Monson and Brandon Sheats reached the final round.Angela Pritchett was recognized as the ninth place novice speaker.

In Lincoln Douglas Debate, Wesley Myrick was the tournament champion.

In Varsity Policy Debate, the team of Katherine and Kimberly Hagan reached the quarterfinal round, and the team of Joel Lemuel and Thi Lam reached the semifinal round. Kimberly Hagan was recognized as the sixth place Varsity speaker and Joel Lemuel as the second place Varsity speaker. Please congratulate these students.

-- Lisa Willoughby (QuaintT@aol.com), February 06, 2003