MUKILTEO — Claire Lee used to hate speaking in front of a crowd.
She wouldn’t raise her hand in class. And reading out loud made her so nervous she’d stutter and shake.
Not anymore. In less than a year, the Kamiak High School junior, 17, became a confident, articulate speaker who earned a trip to speech and debate nationals in June.
"Whenever we have class discussions, I’m not afraid to tell people what I think. I raise my hand," she said. "It’s actually fun to speak in front of people. I love group presentations."
That kind of success story is common for Kamiak’s debate program, which is one of the strongest in the region. This year, the school’s debate squad won 110 trophies in 16 tournaments from October through March.
Twenty-four students went to state, and three are headed to a national competition in Salt Lake City. Last month, senior Tien Ho was named best debater in the state, earning the coveted honor for the first time in the school’s history.
Yet few know about the school’s reputation as a debate powerhouse — even inside the school.
Nobody throws pep rallies for Kamiak’s 40 debaters, often perceived as "introverted geeks and intellectual elitists," said junior Sarah Schroeter, 17, who’s going to nationals in Student Congress.
The program’s quiet success is partly because debate isn’t a spectator sport. In some rounds, debaters speak faster than an auctioneer after a triple espresso, using terms that take beginners months to grasp.
"Sometimes when you tell students about all the events they get shellshocked," Kamiak debate coach Steve Helman said. "They don’t think they can do it … but within one week of school starting we have students up and debating."
One-third of all new Kamiak debaters quit in the first month, unable to master the basics or overwhelmed by the demanding schedule. Successful debaters spend up to 40 hours a week on research, preparation and competition each school year.
Kamiak’s top debaters, who compete year-round with tournaments starting in the fall and debate camp in the summer, say they love the intellectual challenge and intense competition.
"It’s a rush," said senior Andrew Hunziker, 18, who took first place in cross-examination debate at the district qualifiers with debate partner Jenny Wisbeck. "It motivates you to work harder than you’ve ever worked in your life."
But the real payoff is the speaking, writing and research skills, students said.
"I want to go into law or politics, and this is a great opportunity for anybody who’s considering any career that involves public speaking," said senior Brandon Nasen, 18.
In addition to debate, Kamiak students also compete in two speech events at every tournament.
Parents usually drive debaters to competitions throughout the state because the team has little money for transportation. Using a school bus costs the team $500 — money debaters mainly raise themselves.
Helman, who debated in high school and college, founded the team in 1993 when Kamiak opened. Students say he’s the key to the team’s success.
"He will do anything for his students," Ho said. "He’s the kind of role model that makes us all work harder. When I go to tournaments, I want to get that trophy to make Mr. Helman proud."
Ho, who’s earned more than 40 debate trophies, said her coach and team were thrilled when she won the debater of the year award. Her mom, though, didn’t immediately grasp the significance of the silver trophy bowl. "She thought I went to the 99-cent store and bought a salad bowl," Ho said.
It won’t be that trophy or any other that she’ll remember most, though. The debate team is like a family, she said, where students are open to considering new ideas and tolerant of other views.
"It forces you to grow up faster than your peers because it forces you to take into account your own belief system, and most students don’t do that until college," Schroeter said.
Schroeter and Lee will be joined at nationals by junior Kristina Corbitt, who qualified in dramatic interpretation. This will be Corbitt’s third straight year at nationals.
Lee, who’s going for Student Congress, said the event makes her feel more connected to the political process. Modeled after the U.S. Congress, students propose, debate and vote on bills they’ve written.
"It tells you that you can make a change," she said. "That your involvement is important and that your opinion counts."
Reporter Katherine Schiffner: 425-339-3436 or schiffner@heraldnet.com.
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