Debate and Forensics Team
The MRLH Debate and Forensics Team (DaFT) is a WIAA sanctioned activity in which students compete against students of other high schools in a wide variety of public speaking events. The team travels throughout the Puget Sound area to tournaments during the season. The season culminates with the state tournament, which takes place in March.
The activity is extremely beneficial for all students. Many students join the activity with little or no public speaking skill and with practice develop those skills and their overall confidence. These skills serve them very well throughout their educational career and beyond. Debate and Forensics is also a very desirable addition to college applications. Students even have the opportunity during their senior year to win scholarships by placing at some of the college tournaments the team attends.
MRLH is an affiliate school of the National Forensics League (NFL). The NFL is an educational honor society for speech and debate. Students can earn a membership into the NFL by earning points at tournaments. As an affiliate school we are able to participate in the NFL National Qualifying tournament which takes place here in Washington. The top two participants in each event have the opportunity to move on to the national tournament.