Andrew Jennings
Debate Coordinator
Room: 409
Email: ajennings@bellvillebrahmas.org
The BHS Debate program helps students develop research, critical-thinking, public-speaking, and persuasive-communication skills through structured argument and competition. Students investigate complex issues, build evidence-based cases, respond to opposing arguments, and learn to defend their positions clearly. Contact the Debate coordinator for information about participation, competition formats, schedules, and upcoming events.
- Upcoming tournaments and competition schedules
- Debate topics, resolutions, and research
- Case development and evidence preparation
- Practice debates and tournament preparation
- Argument, rebuttal, and cross-examination skills
- Individual and team competition results
- District, regional, and state advancement
- Student leadership and team responsibilities
- New competitors and developing speakers
- Awards, honors, and student accomplishments
Covering the Debate Beat
Start Here
- Introduce yourself to Mr. Jennings and explain that you are covering Debate for the BVP Newsroom.
- Ask which debate formats and events Bellville students will compete in this year.
- Request the tournament schedule, including invitational, district, regional, and state dates.
- Ask for the names, grade levels, event assignments, and experience levels of participating students.
- Find out when and where the team practices and whether reporters may observe practice debates.
- Ask how Mr. Jennings prefers to be contacted and how far in advance interviews, photography, or tournament coverage should be arranged.
- Ask whether debate rounds may be photographed, recorded, or observed by reporters.
- Check regularly with Mr. Jennings for topic changes, tournament updates, results, and student advancement.
- Submit possible stories as pitches before beginning full coverage unless your teacher tells you otherwise.
Your Responsibilities
- Check for Debate updates at least once each news cycle.
- Track tournaments, competition topics, deadlines, results, and advancement.
- Follow students’ preparation from initial research through case development, practice rounds, and competition.
- Watch for strong performances, close decisions, personal improvement, new competitors, and leadership.
- Look beyond wins and losses to explain students’ research, reasoning, strategy, delivery, and adaptation.
- Pitch promising stories to the newsroom.
- Arrange interviews, photography, video, and tournament coverage in advance.
- Confirm names, debate formats, divisions, placements, records, awards, and advancement before publication.
- Follow up after tournaments for official results, photographs, reactions, and information about the next competition.
Important
A debate round includes competing claims, evidence, rebuttals, and strategic arguments. Do not present a position argued during competition as necessarily representing the student’s personal beliefs. Debaters may be assigned or required to defend a particular side of an issue.
Tournament participation does not necessarily mean that a student placed or advanced. Clearly distinguish among students who competed, students who received individual recognition, students who placed, and students who advanced. Confirm results with Mr. Jennings or an official tournament source.
Some rounds may be closed to observers or recording. Obtain permission before entering, photographing, or recording a round. Do not publish private team strategies, unpublished case materials, or incomplete results without approval.
Reporting Your Debate Stories
Possible Story Ideas
- The team prepares for its first tournament
- Students begin researching a new debate topic
- Debaters develop or revise their competition cases
- New students compete for the first time
- A team or individual places at a tournament
- Students qualify or advance to the next competition level
- A close round is decided by strategy, evidence, or rebuttal
- A student receives a speaker award or other recognition
- Experienced debaters mentor newer competitors
- The team responds to a difficult opponent or unexpected argument
- Students balance debate preparation with other responsibilities
- Seniors complete their final debate season
- Debaters earn scholarships, awards, or college opportunities
- The team reaches an important competitive milestone
Signs There May Be A Story
Pay attention when:
- A new debate topic or resolution is announced
- Students begin preparing for a major tournament
- A debater substantially revises a case or strategy
- A newcomer earns a competition opportunity
- A round is decided by a close ballot
- A student receives high speaker scores or recognition
- A team places, qualifies, or advances
- Bellville defeats a highly ranked or experienced opponent
- A student successfully responds to an unexpected argument
- The team tries a new approach to research or preparation
- A student demonstrates significant improvement
- A schedule, pairing, result, or advancement status changes
- The team reaches a season or program milestone
Questions to Ask: The 5 W's and 1 H
You will not necessarily ask every question below. Select those that fit your story and ask follow-up questions whenever an answer is unclear or incomplete.
Who was involved?
- Which Bellville students competed?
- Who worked together as debate partners?
- Who researched or developed the case?
- Who coached or helped prepare the students?
- Who judged the round or confirmed the result?
- Who placed, received recognition, or advanced?
What happened?
- What tournament and debate event were involved?
- What topic or resolution was debated?
- What position did the student or team defend?
- What arguments and evidence were important?
- What challenge or turning point affected the round?
- What were the official results?
- What happens next?
When did it happen?
- When was the tournament or round?
- When did preparation begin?
- When was the topic announced?
- When were the results officially released?
- When is the next tournament or round of competition?
Where did it happen?
- Where was the tournament held?
- Where did the team prepare or practice?
- Where can official results be found?
- Where will the next competition take place?
Why does it matter?
- Why was this tournament important?
- Why did the team choose a particular argument or strategy?
- Why was the round especially challenging?
- Why did the judge favor one side?
- Why is the result important for the student or team?
- Why does debate matter to the participating students?
How did it happen?
- How did students research the topic?
- How was the case developed?
- How did the debater respond to opposing arguments?
- How did questioning or cross-examination affect the round?
- How did students divide responsibilities?
- How was the winner determined?
- How will the team prepare for the next competition?
People You May Need to Interview
Depending on the story, consider interviewing:
- Debate coordinator Andrew Jennings
- Students who competed
- Debate partners or team members
- Students who placed or advanced
- Students receiving speaker awards or recognition
- New competitors
- Experienced debaters mentoring other students
- Students who researched or developed important arguments
- Other coaches involved in preparation
- Judges or tournament officials, when available and appropriate
Do not interview only the winner or highest-placing student. Include competitors whose preparation, teamwork, improvement, or experience helps explain the full story.
What You Need to Collect
Before writing or producing the story, collect:
- Correctly spelled names and grade levels
- Each student’s debate event, division, and role
- The official tournament name, date, and location
- The debate topic or resolution
- The side argued by each student or team
- Official win-loss records, placements, and awards
- Confirmed qualification or advancement information
- Information about important arguments and evidence
- Details about preparation, research, and strategy
- Useful quotes from Mr. Jennings and participating students
- Photographs or video when recording is permitted
- Identification of everyone shown in photographs
- Information about the next tournament or competition level
- The official source that confirmed the results
Before You Leave
Ask yourself:
- Do I have every name spelled correctly?
- Do I know each student’s grade level and debate event?
- Did I confirm the tournament name, date, and location?
- Did I identify the exact competition level?
- Are the results and awards official?
- Did I distinguish among competing, placing, receiving recognition, and advancing?
- Did I explain that an assigned position may not represent the student’s personal beliefs?
- Do I understand the debate topic and the major arguments?
- Can I explain how the round was decided?
- Did I interview Mr. Jennings and the appropriate students?
- Do I have meaningful quotes about research, strategy, challenges, or improvement?
- Did I receive permission to observe, photograph, or record?
- Did I avoid revealing private team strategies or unpublished materials?
- Do I know what happens next?
- Did I identify everyone shown in my photographs?