Lisa Li of Denver, Colo., prepares her arguments before debating at the recent Wyoming
Forensics Institute at the University of Wyoming.
Students from eight states learned debating and research skills at the recent Wyoming Forensics Institute at the University of Wyoming.
They debated and researched subjects ranging from domestic poverty to the United States occupation of Afghanistan. This year, 46 students from California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Texas, Utah and Wyoming attended.
"We had an incredibly diverse group of students this year, and an unprecedented level of interest and support from the university," says Director Matt Stannard, who founded the institute in 2001 as a way to make national-level debate education available to non-wealthy students. "For a lot of the students that come here, debating makes the difference in staying in school, getting into college and getting college paid for. The institute provides a real service."
Students learned from faculty members John Rief of the University of Pittsburgh, Chris Crowe and Chris Thomas of the University of Texas-San Antonio, Lindsey Shook and Travis Cram of the University of Kansas, Weber State University's Stacy Dawson and John Foy, and UW's Jared Bressler, Jamie Cheek, Ryan Cheek and Stannard.
Support for the institute was provided by the UW Foundation, Admissions Office, African American Studies Program, the College of Arts and Sciences and PACMWA (President's Advisory Council on Minorities' and Women's Affairs).
Wyoming Forensics Institute participants, listed by hometown and state, were:
California
Carlsbad -- Adrianna Lucero
Colorado
Aurora -- Tara Sowrirajan
Canon City -- Patrick Bergin
Centennial -- Cassie Davis, Kellyn Henthorn, Diane Schulze and Allison Spacek
Craig -- Collin Dilldine
Denver -- Teague Harrison, Jackson Greenberg, Khadijah James, Chase Kernan, Jamie Tran and
Ramone Wise
Evergreen -- Natasha Torrens
Englewood -- Lisa Li
Golden -- Siran Jiang
Grand Junction -- Crystal Luce
Greenwood Village -- Jack Moore
Hayden -- Ryan Zehner
Highlands Ranch -- Aly Proctor
Littleton -- Jeiel Mensah
Louisville -- Erin Iyigun
Idaho
Boise -- Kendra Doty
Pocatello -- Michael Burtosky and Matthew Wittrock
Montana
Kalispell -- Bria Frame
Nebraska
Omaha -- Connor Hagerty and Mary Marcum
Texas
Dallas -- Meredith Purchal
La Joya -- Carlos Garcia and Melissa Guerra
Sullivan City -- Graciela Munoz
Utah
Salt Lake City -- Zach Hardy
Wyoming
Casper -- Kaylee Bright and Brian Jackson
Cheyenne -- Ben Berry, Akash Gondalia, Dakota Macklin, Nathan Petrisin and Jonathon Swartz
Green River -- Anastasia Hartford, Bethany Jones, Randi McClure and Erin Shadrick
Laramie -- Jacob Thayer
Posted on Tuesday, July 28, 2009