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The Morristown Hamblen High School West Speech and Debate program is working to raise money to send five students to the National Tournament.

Suzanne Terry, program director, explains how funding has always impacted the program.

“When I joined the program around 37 years ago we were in the hole in regards to our funding,” Terry said. “I had to raise funds to pay off a debt the organization had previously.”

“We still traveled to competitions on the weekends and I struggled to pay for that. I would cover the traveling fees and the students would cover the entry fee.”

“After a year or two of having great success with the program the school board was kind enough to create a competition fund. That money for years covered our transportation costs and the kids only had to cover the entry fee and hotel.”

Terry explained how after years of thriving off of funding dedicated to the program, it now needs assistance.

“Once upon a time the kids could pay for that with no worries,” she said. “Fast forward to today a large majority of my students live with a single parent, and with inflation and the cost of living continuously getting higher and higher most of my students cannot afford those costs anymore.”

“Most of my students do work and have jobs, but that money is going to help their parents pay for rent, food and other basic necessities.”

When the pandemic hit, Terry stepped in to alleviate the worry about entry fees. Now she relies on the students to help with costs.

“Since the pandemic I have paid for all entry fees and when the funding at Central Office falls short, I paid for transportation,” she said. “However this semester I had to say I can pay for the entry fee, but I need their help with hotel costs.”

“So just this semester students have had to start paying for that. However, as of right now we can’t afford to send our kids to nationals.”

“The kids have been working hard and today they have a third of what we need to get there, but we are coming up short on what we need to get there.”

The 2023 National Speech and Debate Tournament will take place June 10-17 in Phoenix, Arizona. The West High program will send five students to compete in the competition.

Joseph Parrott, Jeffrey Glover, Abigail Snyder, Kayla Skennion, Holden Smith are the five students to compete at nationals.

Terry is encouraging anyone impacted by the program to help these five students go to nationals and represent the school.

“We are just asking for people who have been impacted by the program to help us out in any capacity.” she said. “We are asking all former students, parents, anyone who’s been tied to the program or who understands the impact communications has on individuals. Anyone who has the means to help out we sure could use a hand.”

“We accept checks made out to Morristown Hamblen High School West to my attention or people can bring in cash and give it to the secretary up front and she’ll make sure it will get to the program.”

Terry explained how important the program is to students’ success in school and in life.

“Theater is water to students and Speech and Debate is Miracle Grow,” Terry said. “Speech and Debate grows kids like no other experience that I have seen.”

“The confidence of learning how to voice an opinion, think critically and analyze material have such huge paybacks in life.”

She also explained how the program helps them further their education.

“Also furthering their education, many students get scholarships from their skills they learned in the program and even by joining university’s speech and debate programs.”

“I had a student come up to me and tell me that he would not be going to college if it wasn’t for the program which really shows how much this program means to our students.”

To support the Morristown Hamblen High School West Speech and Debate Team, send all funds to the high school at 1 Trojan TRL in Morristown. Make all checks payable to Morristown Hamblen High School West; in the memo include the speech and debate program.