Latest Guides

Education

PCC Speech and Debate Team Garners 13 Awards at Regional Tournament

Published on Thursday, December 11, 2014 | 12:00 pm
 

Pasadena City College’s Speech and Debate team continued its impressive 2014 tournament run as it took home 13 individual and team awards at the Pacific Southwest Collegiate Forensics Association’s Fall Championships.

PCC’s nationally ranked squad competed against 43 other community colleges and universities – including powerhouses UCLA and USC – at the PSCFA regional tournament, which was held Dec. 5 to 7 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif.

“I’m really proud to be a part of this team,” said Allan Axibal-Cordero, Speech and Debate team coach and instructor in the PCC School of Visual, Media and Performing Arts. “I feel it’s a real privilege to be working with a team that’s so talented and has the potential to do even better.”

Additionally, the PSCFA honored Joshua Fleming, director of the Speech and Debate team, with the 2014 Wyman/Howe Award. The accolade is given annually to a coach for outstanding contribution and leadership in the forensics community.

With more than 280 debate entries and 884 individual speech events, PCC’s team of 16 students placed in the following categories:

• 1st place, Senior Dramatic Performance – Alexis Arredondo
• 3rd pace, Novice Dramatic Performance – Gabrielle Carreiro
• Bronze Medal, Novice Parliamentary Debate Team – Valerie Roque and Mineli Arakelian
• 4th place, Junior Prose Performance – Eryn Bollin
• 4th place, Senior Informative Speaking – Alicia Batice
• 5th place, Senior Dramatic Performance – Matthew Shoop
• 5th place, Senior Dramatic Duo Performance – Eryn Bollin & Matthew Shoop
• 7th place, Senior Prose Performance – Thomas Morgenroth
• Finalist, Novice Informative Speaking – Vanessa Macias
• Finalist, Junior Informative Speaking – Shannon Yong
• Finalist, Junior Impromptu – Shannon Yong
• Finalist, Novice Impromptu – Kelmin Jones
• Finalist, Junior Impromptu – Carlos De La Torre

The event also marked the end of another impressive run: this year was Fleming’s last as Speech and Debate team director.

Fleming, who has served as director since 2007, is leaving the team and will dedicate his time as an instructor in the college’s Theater Department.

“Theater was my original major when I was in college, so I’m going back and pursuing directing and play-writing,” said Fleming, who will be directing his first play, One Acts: A Particular Kind of Pleasure, in the Spring. “It’s going to be fun.”

Under the leadership of Fleming, PCC’s Speech and Debate teams have consistently placed top 10 in the nation and top five in the state, according to stats from regional, California, and national forensics associations. Last February, the team placed third overall in the PSCFA Spring Championship Tournament. In 2012, it took second in the state.

“What I’ll miss the most are the relationships that I was able to build with the students,” Fleming said. “Often, we work with students upwards of two years, so we get to know them pretty well.”

Cindy Phu, Speech and Debate team coach and instructor in PCC’s School of Visual, Media and Performing Arts, will be taking over Fleming’s role as leader of the team. “It’s a huge loss for us,” she said. “They’re big shoes to fill, but I’m excited about it.”

“It’s been really cool working with Josh,” said Axibal-Cordero, who joined the team last year from Chapman University, where he was director of the forensics team. “He’s very talented and I really learned from him.”

The PCC Speech and Debate team is scheduled to compete in the 2014 Tabor-Venitsky and LD champs tournament Feb. 13 to 15, 2015 in Cerritos College. From April 6 to 11, the team will be in Cleveland for the Phi Rho Pi National Championships.

For more information about the PCC Speech and Debate team, visit its Facebook page by searching “Pasadena City College Speech & Debate” or email Phu at cnphu@pasadena.edu or Axibal-Cordero at aaxibalcordero@pasadena.edu.

 

 

Get our daily Pasadena newspaper in your email box. Free.

Get all the latest Pasadena news, more than 10 fresh stories daily, 7 days a week at 7 a.m.

Make a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

 

 

 

buy ivermectin online
buy modafinil online
buy clomid online
buy ivermectin online