Legislators plan community discussion
Join House Rep. David Tarnas, House Speaker Scott Saiki, House Vice Speaker Mark Nakashima and Majority Floor Leader Dee Morikawa for a community discussion regarding the 2019 legislative session from 5-6:30 p.m. Feb. 26 at Waimea School Cafeteria.
Attendees are encouraged to bring their questions, comments and concerns about the state Legislature and the state to the meeting.
Info: Call the office of Rep. David Tarnas at (808) 586-8510.
Parker earns trophy in Washington
WAIMEA – Parker School’s speech and debate team recently traveled to Washington state to compete in the well-known Thomas S. Foley Memorial Tournament Jan. 31-Feb. 2. Parker was the smallest of 28 schools and won third place in the tournament-wide Sweepstakes category.
This three-day tournament included 1,000 individual competitors from 28 schools in Washington, Idaho and Texas. Thirty-four Parker high school students competed in multiple categories with 22 students placing in the top four.
Parker nearly swept the Junior Varsity Public Forum Debate category with six two-person teams of all first-year debaters placing first, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh out of 17 teams. Sisters Maddie and Sophia Weigle placed first, while Everett Gordon and Amanda Black and McKenzie Byron and Elise Barthel tied for third place.
“This tournament offered us the opportunity to go up against numerous mainland schools,” Carl Sturges, Parker School headmaster and debate coach, said in a press release. “We know now we are competitive on a national level.”
Additional standout performances included: a first-place finish in Open Program Oral Interpretation by Hunter Kalahiki-Arnbrister; first and fourth place by Zoe Vann and Malia Dills in Political Impromptu Speaking; third place in Junior Varsity Lincoln-Douglas Debate by Rachel Pessah; third place in Novice Lincoln-Douglas Debate by Brayden Byron and Mele Rickards; third place in Open Lincoln-Douglas Debate by Zoe Vann; third place in Open Congress by Eloise Robertson; and fourth place in Editorial Commentary by Mele Rickards, among others.
This is the eighth tournament Parker School’s speech and debate has competed in this season and is the team’s eighth Sweepstakes trophy. Next, the team will participate in the ‘Iolani Debate Qualifying Tournament on Oahu this month.