The CBC Speech and Debate Club includes Communication Studies 141 Debate I, 142 Debate II, and 143 Debate III, which are two-credit classes offering a sequence of instruction and practice in argumentation and debate. The class addresses several styles of debate with particular emphasis on Parliamentary Debate as defined by the National Parliamentary Debate Association. Students are encouraged to keep abreast of current events through a variety of news sources on a daily basis.
Classes are coordinated with the CBC Speech and Debate Club, an extra-curricular activity with funding through the student government at CBC. Students in the debate classes are encouraged to join the traveling team, but students do not have to be enrolled in any Communication Studies class to participate in the CBC Speech and Debate Club.
The club provides students with individual coaching and interscholastic competition in platform speeches, oral interpretation in three genres, and parliamentary debate. All individual speakers must adhere to the National Individual Event Tournament rules for individual events. The club usually travels to two or three tournaments each quarter. Students can improve their communication skills, make friends within the forensics community, and compete for awards. The CBC club participates in tournaments throughout the Pacific Northwest from October through February each year. In March, there is a regional competition followed by separate national competitions for debate and individual events. In April, the CBC club competes in the Northwest Forensics Conference Community College Championships Tournament. A final tournament with no national recognition is available in May each year.
The CBC Speech and Debate Club is a member of the Northwest Forensics Conference, the National Parliamentary Debate Association, and the American Forensics Association Individual Event Tournament.
The CBC Speech and Debate Club was organized in response to students' requests for the opportunity to participate in competitive speaking at forensic tournaments in the Pacific Northwest.
For questions or comments regarding the CBC Speech and Debate Club, contact Sallie Fisher at 509-542-4613.