From http://www.derbydailyrep.com/articles/2007/06/19/news/news2.txt

Debate tourney off to good start

By Karen Faley
Published: Tuesday, June 19, 2007 4:22 PM CDT
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Imagine planning an event for years and then being too ill to attend the opening day.

That is exactly what happened to Dalvin Yager, Derby High School debate and forensics coach.

For three years, he had been preparing for the National Forensic League National Speech and Debate Tournament, but on its first day, he was sick.

Despite his illness, the debate and speaking events ran smoothly, he said, thanks to his wife Becky, who took over for him.

“Everything is going fantastic,” he said.

Becky received a lot of help, she told him.

“She received fantastic support from the district and staff,” he said. “Craig Wilford (USD 260 superintendent was there moving tables around.

“We really appreciated everybody’s help,” he said.

Monday night Yager said he was feeling much better and hopeful he would be able to attend the NFL tournament today through Thursday, the last day it will be held in Derby.

On Thursday night, the final rounds will start at Century II and continue through Friday, he said.

About 2,000 students will be competing for the national titles this week in Derby. Rounds are also being held at DHS, Derby Middle School and the Derby Sixth Grade Center, as well as Wichita East High school, the Hyatt, and Century II in Wichita.

Each state, Guam and South Korea are represented by students in the national tournament, including one student from Derby, David Rose.

Rose, a DHS sophomore, is competing in the international extempt event, said Yager.

After a grueling morning of fierce competition, some of those students competing in NFL tournament, slipped outside for a few minutes of peace and quiet.

Shannon Kintner and Danielle Creamer, both of Houston, Texas, said they were enjoying the Kansas weather.

“There’s no humidity,” said Kintner.

The humidity is much worse in Houston, they claimed.

“Y’all should come to Texas,” said Creamer. “It’s just awful.”

It must be a matter of perception because a few feet away Laurel Eatherly fanned herself.

It was too humid, she said.

“I’m from Wyoming,” she said. “We don’t do wetness

But all three students said they were enjoying their stay in Kansas and were surprised with what Derby has to offer.

“We were surprised the tournament was in Wichita and Derby, where’s that?” she said.

But that all changed when they arrived.

“We were pleasantly surprised with the dining and shopping,” said Eatherly.

She, her coach and one other girl from her school, traveled all the way from the Rodeo Capital of the World, Cody, Wyo., population 9,000.

“It’s humid,” said Eatherly, “but it’s green. It’s not green where we come from. It’s in the desert.

“I didn’t think of the midwest as being so green.”

Eatherly, a 2007 graduate, is competing in the domestic extempt category.

In that category, speakers are given three topics from which they can choose. Once they choose their topics, they have 30 minutes to prepare their speech. Then they give a seven minute speech on that topic.

Eatherly had already given three speeches Monday afternoon and was not sure how she did.

“All of the kids here are amazing,” she said. “It’s rough.”

Cameron Albin, a Houston senior, is also competing in that category.

He agreed the competition was stiff.

“This is the best of the best,” he said. “Ultimately, when you get to this level, you are almost like a celebrity.”

Albin had also given three speeches that day.

He spoke on healthcare reform, the state of our nation’s high schools and what policy the United States should have toward space defense.

He prepared for domestic extempt by researching. He has a huge card catalog packed with newspaper articles and other research.

Once he picks his topic, he goes to his file and pulls out information on that topic.

In his category, it is pertinent to not only do the research, he said, but also keep well-informed on current issues.

Albin said he thinks his hard work paid off. He felt pretty confident about his first three speeches.

Both Kintner and Creamer are competing in the humorous interpretation category.

Although both women are from Houston, they attend different high schools in the city.

They are not strangers.

“We compete against each other a lot,” said Creamer, a 2007 graduate of Deer Park High School.

Creamer’s speech is about dating.

“It’s about teaching guys the right thing to do when on a date with a girl,” she said, “or rather teaching them what’s wrong.”

An example of a bad dating move is the following:

A guy approaches a girl and tells her they’re going to play “telephone book.”

He tells her he will say a name and she will provide him with that person’s phone number.

“And then he says her name, because he wants her telephone number,” she said.

Luckily, nobody’s ever tried that move on Creamer.

“That would be just awful,” she said.

Kintner is a senior from Elkins High School.

In her humorous interpretation, she uses different voices of little girl characters.

“They call themselves, ‘mad’,” she said, but really they’re just determined and know know what they want.

One of the characters is very bossy.

“She’s a little Asian girl who likes to be in control,” said Kintner.

Both students said they were enjoying their Kansas trip.

“I love traveling with my team,” said Kintner.

Creamer agreed.

“Even if you don’t win, it’s worth the trip, because it’s always fun,” she said.