More on UNT Debate Camp

>From a recent posting:

The University of North Texas is pleased to announce that this years version of the Mean Green Workshops will be held in Denton, Texas from June 25th - July 7th. An optional 3rd week is available from July 7th to July 14th.

At the UNT Mean Green Workshops, we are committed to balancing effective classroom teachers and professional coaches with younger recent competitors for the best educational experience possible for students. We have a diverse staff (in all possible areas) and we are an appropriate workshop experience for those who have never seen a debate to those vying for championships at National level events.

Our confirmed staff thus far (with more announced soon)include:

Aaron Timmons
Dr. Scott Robinson
Jonathan Alston
Kris Wright
Beena Koshy
Chetan Hertzig
Perry Beard
Neil Conrad
Stephen Babb
Gary Johnson
Eric Melin
Jennifer Miller
Liz Mullins
Katherine Thompson
David McGough

The workshop is fully supported by the University of North Texas and the Department of Communication Studies. One important principal we embrace at the workshop is the health and safety of all students attending. Our dorm staff is headed by professional educators with years of experience in meeting the diverse needs of young people.

Our prices are among the best in the nation. Please take a moment to check out who we are and a description of our approaches to educating young people. Our website is www.meangreenworkshops.com.

While many options exist for a summer debate program, we feel that our pedagogy toward debate instruction is unmatched. Please consider joining us in the summer of 2007.
_________________
Aaron Timmons
Debate Coach
Greenhill School
LD Director UNT "Mean Green" Workshop

Bailee's Newspaper Story

BY JOSEPH PALMERSHEIM - SUN NEWSPAPERS
(Created: Wednesday, February 7, 2007 10:41 PM CST)
Early in her high school career, she went from dribbling to debating - and in the process, discovered all that she could be.

Bailee Rasmussen, a senior at Lakeville South High School, recently qualified for the National Forensic League National Tournament competing against 59 other debaters for a chance to compete at the national debate tournament in Wichita, Kansas, in June.

"There were kids from around the state," Bailee said. "The way it worked was that if you lost two debates, you were out. The last four kids went to nationals."

Bailee, who has been captain of the Lakeville South Debate Team for the past two years, ended up in the activity almost by accident. When she quit basketball in ninth grade, she found that she wanted something to keep busy with after school. When a friend introduced her to debate in 10th grade, she'd found what she was looking for, and has been going ever since.

"I like that it allows me to express my assertive and competitive qualities," Bailee said. "It's not just for nerds - it's more about competing than just reading. You have to execute what you know, and I like that. The people are fun, too. Instead of talking about how much we bench, we'll talk about the United Nations or something."

When she started with the debate team, people weren't quite sure what to make of her.

"People thought I was just a basketball player," Bailee said. "They thought, 'Well, she'll never make it.' After I joined debate, I ended up on Student Council and the Speech Team. I didn't know that side of myself until high school."

Bailee said her experience on the debate team taught her how to be more open-minded. In addition to broadening horizons, she has made friends through debating, and gives the activity credit for giving her the incentive to get involved with other things.

"People think debaters are nerdy," she said. "They don't understand it. I wouldn't know where I would be without it - it's cheesy, but it's true. It taught me how to be studious and motivated."

"She's very assertive," said her coach, Andy Charrier. "We had to work with her on being forceful, but not too aggressive. When she debates, there's a tone that she has that makes you have no doubt that she's right."

Charrier coaches the debate teams at both Lakeville high schools. He said Bailee stood out the first week she was on the team as a sophomore. Charrier knew that he was dealing with "someone with an extraordinary command of an audience." He helped her prepare for debates that year, and after winning three novice debates, she was moved up on the team.

"She's a role model - she never says no when people ask her for help," Charrier said. "She's well-liked. She's the person [her teammates] look up to."

Every two months, the debate team is given a new topic and two weeks to prepare for their particular brand of verbal sparring. Bailee said preparation usually includes reading many articles about the particular subject, and preparing well-rounded cases for or against. During the competitions, debaters have to debate both for and against the same concept.

"You take both sides," Bailee said. "During the tournament, I had four positive cases and three negative cases."

Some of Bailee's favorite debate topics include eminent domain and immigration. After doing nine different topics during the season and immersing herself in each, they've started to blend together.

"You really grow to love them all - you really have to," she said. "You debate about them so much."

Debating requires a great deal of preparation for a persuasive argument - and sometimes, she said, it makes her school homework seem almost easy by comparison.

"One time at speech camp, I had to write an affirmative case overnight, which is a lot of work," Bailee said. "Debate has taught me time management, which applies to everything. Now, writing a five-page paper is easy compared to writing something like an affirmative case overnight."

Bailee's mother, Pat Rasmussen, said her daughter's powers of persuasion were always evident.

"We used to say when she was little that she should be a lawyer. Debate has helped her phenomenally. She's always been headstrong, but this has given her a way to say it. She could talk anyone into anything," she said.

Both of Bailee's parents, who are divorced, live in Lakeville. In addition to her father, Todd Rasmussen, Bailee's family includes four brothers and one sister: Ben, 20, and serving in the U.S. Navy; Brady, 16; Bo, 11; Jacob, 4; and Riley, 2.

For now, Bailee said her debate season with Lakeville South is over, and she won't be competing in any local tournaments. She's still unsure whether or not to go to out-of-state competitions before the National Tournament June 17 through June 23.

"The topic will be released May 1, and I'll be preparing like crazy," Bailee said.

As a senior, Bailee is also thinking about the future. This fall, she'll be heading off to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to start her first year of college. While she's unsure of what she wants to major in, she's thinking about something in education.

"I'd like to be a teacher, and maybe a principal in the future," Bailee said. "I want to coach debate in the future, too."

VBI Discount

If anyone is certain about going to VBI this summer, there is a $200
discount for payment in full if you register this weekend. -- Mike
Bietz said he is extending the discount through the weekend.