Weeks of preparation came to fruition as Redhawks debated their way to victory Saturday at the UIL Invitational competition at Rock Hill High School.

“I enjoyed this competition at Rock Hill High School as the topics I got were very strong, and in the moment I had fun speaking about my newfound knowledge on niche issues,” junior Riya Sharma said.

Students can spend weeks getting ready for a competition with the actual day of competition lasting 10 to 12 hours.

“Debaters wake up very early to begin most competitions at 8:00 a.m,” Porter said. “Debaters must stay focused on their computers throughout the day to see the times and rooms of their rounds. They spend most of the day going from one round to the next. At the end, it’s a waiting game to see who medaled.”

For many students, just getting the opportunity to compete and debate with others is a reward in and of itself.

“I really enjoy the actual competing part,” debate captain Shruti Bhoyar. “There is a lot of waiting the whole day but the part where you actually compete makes it worth it.”

For other students, competing serves as a way to learn, grow, and reflect on how far they’ve come.

“While I did not place as high as I hoped for this competition, I did notice my tone and information is comparatively better since the last competition,” Sharma said. “Overall, I think I did a good job as I have notably improved!”

But for Porter, competition day is all about her students and their love for what they do.

“My favorite part of competing is seeing the adrenaline within my debaters and their drive to succeed,” Porter said.