AJ Garcia and Kori Iglehart, a debate team from Godley High School, qualified for state competition after advancing from a district contest on January 24, 2024, at Alvarado High School.

Garcia and Iglehart won first place in Cross-Examination Debate, with Emma Lindamood and Katie Ponce finishing fourth.  Also competing were Brett Fancher and Ava Jackson.

“This a really impressive accomplishment, especially because AJ Garcia, a sophomore, is going to state for the second time this year, and Kori Iglehart, Emma Lindamood and Katie Ponce are freshmen,” commented Jeff Hughes, the GHS speech and debate coach.

With a pair of students competing together as a team, CX debate helps train students to analyze a problem, conduct thorough and relevant research, and utilize principles of argumentation and advocacy in orally presenting the most effective case for or against a given proposition.

The 2023-24 topic focuses on economic inequality:  “Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase fiscal redistribution in the United States by adopting a federal jobs guarantee, expanding Social Security, and/or providing a basic income.”

This will be Garcia’s second trip to Austin this school year, after he recently competed in the 11th Annual State Congress earlier in January.

The UIL state debate tournament is scheduled for Mar. 15-16 at the University of Texas at Austin.