The CX Debate team spent their January days preparing for their upcoming district competition at the end of January. With the state UIL office deciding that only one team per district would advance to state competition, the chance to advance was cut in half this year. Like almost all of the changes to competitions this year, this one was due to COVID.

“Since UT is not allowing outside groups to meet or compete on their campus this year, it changes everything, competition-wise,” coach Melonie Menefee said. “State CX will be virtual, and there was a fear that having the usual 64 teams per conference would be too hard to handle on the online platform.”

Knowing the path to advance would be tough, and facing competitors from schools new to the district, the students practiced daily and competed in invitational meets on the weekends.

“I prepared by doing a lot of research and by rereading my speech about a hundred times,” junior Omar Almeida said. “It has been harder than last year because we haven’t been able to do as many practice meets as last year because of COVID.”

Juniors Jalea Brown, Anthony Gonzalez and Almeida as well as freshman Nicollette Arabie will be competing against students from Fairfield and Westwood.

“I’m feeling confident even though this will be my first time doing this,” junior Jalea Brown said. “I just hope I don’t forget my speech during the meet.”

After district, the first place team will compete at state in March.

“CX is tough this year and nothing is happening the way we are used to,” Menefee said. “However, I’m excited and proud of the work they are putting in, and I have every confidence that they will do well.”