The National Speech and Debate Association pulls in more than 140,000 students nationwide to compete with each other and bring home medals for their schools and themselves. As the only senior competing in debate, Tristan Cole looks forward to helping to teach new debaters. 

“I really looked up to the people in the grades above me. Nicollette Arabie, Alyncia Jackson, Omar Almeida,” Cole said. “I wanted to do what they did.”

Her very first meet, at the beginning of her sophomore year, proved to be a challenge. 

“I was thrown into a meet I knew nothing about and only had a week to prepare for, but gave it my all nonetheless,” she said. 

With her next meets, she stuck with it and picked up more and more knowledge, learning to flow and attack cases. By spring of her junior year, she found herself competing at state in LD Debate. She has bigger goals for her senior year. 

“I hope to accomplish nationals for NSDA, make the top three in UIL state,” Cole said. “Overall, I want to be an inspiration for newcomers this year.”