MEDIA ADVISORY – College of Western Idaho (CWI) Speech and Debate traveled to Oregon this past weekend, Feb. 22-24, to kick-off a busy spring schedule with back-to-back competitions. CWI opened the road trip at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore. with the AFA/NIET District 2 Qualifier before heading to Oregon State University in Corvallis, Ore. for the ninth-annual Earl Wells Memorial Speakeasy.
Lewis & Clark College – With nine colleges competing, CWI competitors broke into the final rounds of nine of the 11 events. Highlights included sweeping the Open Duo category, where CWI took first, second, third, and fifth-place. Also, team rookies Shane Weiskircher and Chance Bennett broke into the Open finals, which was an impressive showing for two Novices competing in their first tournament ever. The AFA/NIET District 2 Qualifier was an individual event tournament and did not feature any debate competition.
Oregon State University – The ninth-annual Earl Wells Memorial Speakeasy, which proved to be a great conclusion to the weekend for CWI. CWI finished first among two-year schools, second overall in Individual Events & Debate, and third overall out of all programs including four-year schools. Team co-captain Mark Galaviz had an outstanding performance, earning the coveted Pentathlon Award, a prestigious honor that goes to the top competitor in open individual events. CWI broke into 13 of the 18 individual event finals and featured the No. 1 seed competitors in both categories of IPDA Debate. Team co-captain Alex Lange won gold for Open and Alisha Jonas won Gold for Novice. CWI’s amazing individual performances didn’t stop there, as the College also swept Open Dramatic Interpretation and secured first- place awards in six categories including debate.
Contact:
Jennifer Couch
(208) 562-3508
###
The College of Western Idaho is a public, open-access, and comprehensive community college committed to providing affordable access to quality teaching and learning opportunities to the residents of its service area in western Idaho. CWI has seven campus locations throughout Southwest Idaho providing higher education and 21st Century technical skills acquisition. The college is dedicated to improving the community’s economic well-being by responding with highly-educated and productive graduates. The foundation for the area’s only community college was created by a supermajority of voters in Ada and Canyon counties on May 22, 2007. For more information about the college, visit cwi.edu or call (208) 562-3000.
###