The debate season has begun for high schools around the country, and Calhoun High School’s debaters made the grade at their first state competition at Warner Robins, and at their first national competition in Dallas. 
   The Warner Robins Tournament was held on September 21-22, where Calhoun was declared the co-winner of both Varsity and Novice cross-examination debate competitions. The early win makes Calhoun an All-State qualifier next spring.
   Coach Ed Williams reported that the Calhoun team prevailed in a convincing fashion, clearing four varsity teams to the quarter-final round. Seniors Dana Higgins and Kayla Jarrett, juniors Ben Jordon and Joseph Bearden, senior Leah Poole and junior Kaitlin DeFoor, and sophomores Leah Smith and Evelyn Gonzalez all represented Calhoun in elimination rounds. A win by Poole and DeFoor put two Calhoun teams in the semi-finals, allowing the school to advance to the finals berth. Freshman Megan Williamson and sophomore Kenia Delgado pulled off additional wins in their first varsity competition. 
   Calhoun’s Varsity debaters also did well in individual speaker awards at Warner Robins, with Leah Poole winning first speaker, Dana Higgins taking second, and Leah Smith placing fourth.  
   The Calhoun novice teams added to the victory at Warner Robins, with eighth graders Kate Leggett and Lloyd Bearden going undefeated, and eighth grader Thomas Kendrick and freshman Walter DeGuire combining for a 5-1 record. Both novice teams won their quarter-final rounds, and were slated to hit in semis, giving the novices the co-Championship. It is the first high school tournament win ever for an eighth grade team from Calhoun. Leggett was the tournament’s top novice speaker, and Kendrick was the sixth-place novice speaker.    
   Calhoun’s varsity team also cleared to the elimination bracket of the Greenhill Invitational in Dallas, Texas on September 14-16. Kayla Jarrett and Dana Higgins eventually lost to the tournament’s champions, from Colleyville Heritage. Kaitlin DeFoor and her partner, Leah Smith, and Ben Jordon and Joseph Bearden, also competed in the national-level tournament. 
   In Dallas, the Calhoun team was treated to a wonderful dinner at Dunston's Prime Steakhouse, the restaurant of Calhoun speech alumna Anna Owens Dunston (CHS '88) and her husband, Chad Dunston. The Dunstons are the aunt and uncle of Calhoun debater Kate Leggett. 
   Three of the Calhoun varsity teams will travel to Washington D.C. this weekend to compete at the Georgetown Day Tournament, September 28 through October 1.