The Brave Speech and Debate Team is an active and vibrant piece of Blanchet’s many co-curricular programs.

The team, led by new moderator, Mr. Curtis Leighton, meets twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays in room 209, to prepare oral arguments, practice individual event pieces, write and revise affirmative and negative constructive speeches, develop effective debate techniques and complete their evidence research on the selected topic(s).

The team is currently developing useful questioning techniques, methods for critical thinking, oral presentation and advocacy skills, effective writing skills and build their self confidence. They are gaining an understanding of current national and international topics and its members are developing their individual skills of interpretation and presentation through competitive forensics.

The Team has been partaking in their regular practices since October and their season will continue into 2016, wrapping up in March. All of the the team’s members are staying on top of their schoolwork and succeeding in the classroom, as they are required meet WIAA and Bishop Blanchet academic and attendance eligibility requirements to be able to participate in Team meetings and competition.

The team competes in tournaments sanctioned by the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) that take place at selected high schools and colleges throughout the States of Washington and Oregon and, following successful outings at these tournaments, the Team will send selected members to National Tournaments in varying locations across the country.

The first tournament the team will compete in is coming up shortly after Christmas break, as the team will travel to Spokane for a tournament hosted at Gonzaga University.