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Mount Si students highlight debate team successes, ask board for transport and chaperone flexibility
Summary
Mount Si High School speech and debate officers reported state and national qualifications, cited a drop from ~60 to ~30 active members this season, and urged the district for more flexible transportation or parent chaperone options to allow students to attend tournaments.
Student leaders from Mount Si High School presented a report to the Snoqualmie Valley School District Board on Jan. 8, outlining competitive achievements and operational challenges for the speech and debate club.
Jaden, the club president, and Ana, the captain, described the club’s competitive record: the program has existed since 2014 and this season earned four state bids, previous national placements (including a top-20 finish), and a Tournament of Champions qualification. They said the club has qualified for states and nationals consistently since its founding.
The students said membership has dropped from roughly 60 participants last year to about 30 who are currently active; that decline, they told the board, has constrained the number of students able to travel to tournaments because current district transport rules require a minimum of 12 students on a school bus and one chaperone per 10 students. Flooding at a recent Auburn Riverside tournament forced a cancellation this season, the students said, and limited adviser availability because coaches are teachers with competing obligations.
To increase participation, the students asked the board to consider allowing smaller bus groups, shared-ride or parent chaperone options, and on-campus scrimmages or invitationals as fundraisers and outreach. They also proposed targeted outreach to incoming students so the club’s pipeline would be stronger in future years.
Board members praised the club’s accomplishments and encouraged the students ahead of an upcoming qualifying tournament. No formal policy changes were adopted at the meeting; the students’ suggestions were taken as information for staff and the board to consider in future transportation and chaperone planning.
