The Modesto Junior College Speech and Debate Team brought home the First Place Gold Medal Debate Sweepstakes Award from the Rho Pi National Tournament, the team’s final competition for the academic year, which was held April 5 – 10 in New Orleans, Louisiana. MJC achieved the top debate award after winning both the First Place Gold and the Second Place Silver Awards in Parliamentary Team Debate and Second Place Silver in the individual National Forensics Association (NFA) Lincoln/Douglas Debate.

Returning victorious were James Birlew graduate of Sierra View Christian Academy and his partner Christopher Yerzy, formerly from Hearthstone Christian High School, achieving the gold in Parliamentary Team Debate. Brothers Richard and Robert Birlew, Sierra View grads, earned the silver in this same competition. Richard Birlew repeated his performance from last year in NFA Lincoln/Douglas by taking the Second Place Silver medal.

MJC’s Robert Birlew repeated his Third Place Bronze win in Extemporaneous Speaking, while his teammate Josh Ward, graduate of Beyer High School, brought home the Third Place Bronze medal in Impromptu Speaking. Ward lost out to another Yosemite Community College District success story, as Danielle Carmack from Columbia College, brought home the Second Place Silver in Impromptu Speaking.

“It was another fantastic year for the Modesto Junior College Speech and Debate Team,” said Todd Guy, speech team coach. “We added more national award winners to our growing list of speech and debate champions.”

For more information on MJC's forensics program or on the MJC Debate team's sweepstakes win, contact Professor Guy at (209) 575-6177.