To the right in the picture are team policy finalists Jeremy Denlinger and Abigail Van Hook of Lincoln. (Click on picture for larger image.)

Van Hook and Denlinger win regional debate [March 28, 2011]  Abigail Van Hook and Jeremy Denlinger, both of Lincoln, returned from Cincinnati, Ohio, this weekend with a huge achievement -- first place as debaters in team policy -- as well as some achievements in speech. The Buckeye Blast was a regional qualifying tournament of the National Christian Forensics and Communications Association.

Abbi and Jeremy are part of Semper Par (Latin for "always ready") of Springfield. Semper Par is a club of NCFCA, a home-school association that promotes the development of rhetoric and logic for the purpose of helping students effectively communicate their Christian worldview.

Participating in the regional event were 158 students from six Midwestern states.

This year's team policy resolution is that "The United States federal government should significantly reform its policy toward Russia." The Denlinger-Van Hook team successfully won the 90-minute finals round by arguing against the affirmative team's position (that the U.S. should graduate Russia from the Jackson-Vanik amendment) as in the status quo it will be lifted soon when Russia is admitted to the World Trade Organization. The Denlinger-Van Hook win-loss record at this tournament was 8-2.

In addition to being champions of the Buckeye Blast in team policy, they also gained other achievements. Abbi took fifth place in thematic interpretation and placed in illustrated oratory. Jeremy broke into semifinals in humorous interpretation on a piece by Dave Barry that featured a "sort of history" of the life of our nation's greatest president -- Abraham Lincoln, of course.

With these achievements, Abbi and Jeremy are invited to be part of the regional tournament in Indianapolis in May. The winners of that tournament move on to national competition in Wenham, Mass., in June.

[Text from file received from Ron Denlinger]