Mount Vernon and Anacortes high school debate teams collaborate on public education discussion

MOUNT VERNON - The Anacortes and Mount Vernon high school debate teams partnered up Thursday for a public debate at Mount Vernon High School on whether all funding for K-12 education should come from the federal government.

The event marked the first time the Mount Vernon and Anacortes teams mixed debaters onto joint teams, and the fifth year the Mount Vernon team participated in a public debate promoted by the League of Women Voters of Skagit County.

Mount Vernon coach Kelly Kirkpatrick said spreading the skills of debate is important to her as president of the Washington State Forensics Association.

"At its heart, the speech and debate community is about finding connections that bring us together. This is one example of that," Kirkpatrick said.

This year, seven members of the Mount Vernon team are set to compete in nationals in Richmond, Virginia, in June.

Amanit Narwal, the Mount Vernon team captain and moderator for Friday's event, said in her opening remarks that public events such as Friday's debate are an opportunity to show what debate should be like, which is respectful, thought-out and productive.

Narwal said with recent education cuts and layoffs happening at Mount Vernon High School, the discussion was particularly important.

Narwal is a senior, salutatorian, state champion in oratory, and will lead the group of seven at nationals, if enough funding is acquired. She will attend Harvard in the fall.

Coaches didn't know what their students would say at Thursday's event, and neither did the audience, which Narwal said is because debaters are taught to think critically, analyze their own sources and create arguments they can defend.

Kirkpatrick said this year's Mount Vernon team has been wildly successful.

Narwal, Alejandro Flores, Amelia Guanzon, Dawn Rosas, Jahaira Romo Perez and freshmen Lincoln Close and Jonathan Kapanji qualified for nationals.

Coach Kirkpatrick organized the first World Schools tournament in Washington, a debate format that has become a popular state event.

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