The TJC Speech and Debate Team has been in existence for more than 60 years, and is among the very first to compete in collegiate forensics in the state of Texas. The program has a tradition of excellence. 

TJC Speech and Debate Team members may choose from all eleven of the national individual speech events (Prose Interpretation, Poetry Interpretation, Program Oral Interpretation, Duo Interpretation, Informative Speaking, Persuasive Speaking, Communication Analysis, Speech to Entertain, Impromptu Speaking and Extemporaneous Speaking), Parliamentary debate, plus Lincoln-Douglas debate, IPDA debate and Interpreter’s Theatre.

Most students end each year competing in four to six events, receiving excellent training in diverse areas from interpretation to debate. TJC travels to competitive tournaments, competing against Universities as well as Community Colleges.

TJC offers smaller classes with more personal attention by instructors, greater opportunity to perform and more. Head coach M’Liss Hindman has more than 30 years experience and is recognized with state and national awards as an outstanding educator. Assistant Coach Joan Andrews is a former National Champion in various events.

Speech and Debate students also may be involved in top-quality theatre productions. Students that compete regularly with the team are actively recruited by four-year schools for scholarship programs in both competitive speech and theatre.

Easterlin

“I “I was 18 years old and in search of my direction in life when I was pushed by my best high school friend to join him at Tyler Junior College and take part in the speech and theatre program. I had done theatre in high school, but never thought of it as something I would pursue in college or as a career. Shortly after joining the program, I was introduced to forensics and competing in speech tournaments. I have always been a competitive person and certainly loved acting. The combination of drama and sport was beyond exciting, but what it ultimately taught me about teamwork, practice, focus and sportsmanship was a great training ground for life. 

The two years I spent at Tyler Junior College and in the forensics program taught me so much about humility, teamwork, passion, focus and the importance of motivating others around you. It is pretty amazing that in the short two years I spent at Tyler Junior College it really helped me find my direction in life.”

Mike Easterlin
President
Fueled By Ramen/Roadrunner Records/RRP
Atlantic Recording Corp.

Fall 2015 Forensics Team Wins

Bayou Tournament hosted by North Harris College on Friday and Saturday:

TJC Debaters broke all three of our teams to Semi-Finals (see attached photo.) This is incredibly difficult to do! Jacob Savage and Skyler Walker went undefeated in preliminary rounds (also difficult to do.) Here are the incredible debate results:

  • 2nd Place in Parliamentary Debate – Gavin Downing and Dillon Hughes
  • Semi-Finalists – Jacob Savage and Skyler Walker
  • Semi-Finalists –  Clay Woods and Tyler Cole
  • 1st Place Top Speaker in Debate – Dillon Hughes
  • 2nd Place Top Speaker in Debate – Clay Woods
  • 3rd Place Top Speaker in Debate – Jacob Savage
  • 4th Place Top Speaker in Debate – Skyler Walker

In individual events:

  • 1st Place – Speech to Entertain – Jacob Savage
  • 4th Place – Extemporaneous Speaking – Jacob Savage
  • 6th Place – Impromptu Speaking – Skyler Walker
  • 6th Place – Dramatic Interpretation – Jacob Savage
  • 5th Place Overall Top Speaker – Jacob Savage
  • Semi Finalist – Impromptu Speaking – Clay Woods
  • Semi Finalist – Impromptu Speaking – Jacob Savage

In Sweepstakes

  • TJC – 1st Place Debate Sweepstakes
  • TJC – 2nd Place Individual Sweepstakes (only behind University of Texas at Austin. We beat Texas State University, McNeese University, etc.)

Bayou Tournament hosted by San Jacinto College on Sunday:

In individual Events:

  • 1st Place – Speech to Entertain – Jacob Savage
  • 3rd Place – Prose Interpretation – Omari Hawkins
  • 3rd Place – Dramatic Interpretation – Omari Hawkins
  • 6th Place – Impromptu Speaking – Clay Woods

Overall Sweepstakes for the Swing Tournaments:

  • 2nd Place – Tyler Junior College (again only behind University of Texas at Austin!)

TIFA Fall Tournament:

  • TJC won 2nd Place Debate Sweepstakes and 2nd Place Overall Sweepstakes
  • 1st Place Lincoln-Douglas Debate and Top Novice – Dillon Hughes (went undefeated for the tournament!)
  • 2nd Place Parliamentary Debate – Jacob Savage and Skyler Walker (again they went undefeated in the six preliminary rounds!)
  • Octa-Finalists and 1st Place Top Novice in Parliamentary Debate – Gavin Downing and Dillon Hughes
  • Top Debate Speaker – Dillon Hughes
  • Top Debate Speaker – Jacob Savage
  • 2nd  Place Top Novice Parliamentary Debate – Tyler Cole and Clay Wood
  • Top Novice in Dramatic Interpretation – Clay Wood

Del Mar College Tournament:

  • TJC won 3rd Place Individual Events Sweepstakes and 3rd place Overall Swing Sweepstakes
  • 2nd Place (tied for 1st) Prose Interpretation – Omari Hawkins
  • 3rd Place Speech to Entertain – Skyler Walker
  • 4th Place Extemporaneous Speaking – Jacob Savage
  • 3rd Place Extemporaneous Speaking – Skyler Walker
  • 6th Place Extemporaneous Speaking – Clay Wood
  • 6th Place Impromptu Speaking – Jacob Savage
  • 7th Place Impromptu Speaking – Skyler Walker

Heart of Texas, November 13-14:

  • 1st Place Debate Sweepstakes – TJC
  • 1st Place team – Jacob Savage and Skyler Walker (Went undefeated in prelim rounds for the third straight tournament!)
  • 3rd Place team – Clay Wood and Tyler Cole
  • 1st place Top Debate Speaker – Jacob Savage
  • 2nd place Top Debate Speaker – Skyler Walker
  • 3rd Place Top Debate Speaker – Tyler Cole
  • 4th Place Top Debate Speaker – Clay Wood
  • 2nd Place Individual Events Sweepstakes – TJC
  • 5th Place Prose – Ashton Eichelman
  • 6th Place Impromptu Speaking – Clay Wood
  • 4th Place Dramatic Interpretation – Jacob Savage
  • 5th Place Dramatic Interpretation – Omari Hawkins
  • 5th Place Extemp Speaking – Jacob Savage
  • 2nd Place Extemp Speaking – Skyler Walker
  • 4th Place After Dinner Speaking – Skyler Walker
  • 6th Place After Dinner Speaking – Jacob Savage

Heart of Texas, November 15:

  • 2nd Place Individual Events Sweeps – TJC
  • 1st Place Dramatic Interpretation – Omari Hawkins
  • 4th Place Dramatic Interpretation – Jacob Savage
  • 5th Place Dramatic Interpretation – Clay Wood
  • 3rd Place Extemporaneous Speaking – Jacob Savage
  • 5th Place Extemporaneous Speaking – Clay Wood
  • 6th Place Extemporaneous Speaking – Skyler Walker
  • 5th Place After Dinner Speaking – Jacob Savage
  • 6th Place After Dinner Speaking – Skyler Walker

Spring 2016 Forensics Team Wins

On February 5-7,2016 the team travelled to the Spring TIFA championship. We competed against universities and community colleges from two states including McNeese University, Texas A&M, Univ. of Texas at Austin and Texas State University. Here are our results:

Day 1 and 2: Texas Intercollegiate Forensic Association’s Spring Championship hosted at Howard Payne

  • 2nd Place Debate Sweepstakes: Tyler Junior College (1st Place went to Texas State University)
  • 3rd Place Individual Events Sweepstakes: Tyler Junior College (1st Place went to University of Texas at Austin)
  • 2nd Place Overall Sweepstakes: Tyler Junior College
  • 1st Place Top Speaker in Parliamentary Debate: Jacob Savage
  • 1st Place Top Speaker in Lincoln-Douglas Debate: Dillon Hughes
  • Top Novice in Lincoln-Douglas Debate: Gavin Downing
  • 3rd Place LD Debate: Dillon Hughes
  • Quarter Finalists in Parliamentary Debate: Jacob Savage and Skyler Walker
  • Semi Finalists in Parliamentary Debate: Gavin Downing and Dillon Hughes
  • Top Novice in Parliamentary Debate: Gavin Downing and Dillon Hughes
  • Top Novice Speaker in Parliamentary Debate – Dillon Hughes
  • Top Novice in Dramatic Interpretation – Clay Wood
  • Top Novice in Prose Interpretation – Earlyssa Cooper
  • 4th Place Extemporaneous Speaking – Jacob Savage
  • 4th Place Individual Events Speaker – Omari Hawkins
  • 1st Place Dramatic Interpretation – Omari Hawkins
  • 2nd Place Prose Interpretation – Omari Hawkins
  • 5th Place Prose Interpretation – Skyler Walker
  • 4th Place Impromptu Speaking – Jacob Savage
  • 6th Place Impromptu Speaking – Clay Wood

Day 3 Howard Payne University’s Invitational Tournament:

  • 3rd Place Overall Swing Champions: Tyler Junior College
  • 3rd Place Extemporaneous Speaking: Jacob Savage
  • 4th Place Poetry Interpretation: Omari Hawkins

On January 22-24 the team travelled to the Cowtown Two Step Tournament Swing. We competed with universities from two states. Here are our results:

Cowtown Day 1 & 2, hosted by Tarrant County CC Northeast:

  • 2nd Place Sweepstakes in Debate – Tyler Junior College
  • Top Community College – Tyler Junior College
  • 2nd Place Parliamentary Debate – Jacob Savage and Skyler Walker
  • Multiple Top Speakers in Parliamentary Debate: Jacob Savage, Skyler Walker, Tyler Cole and Clay Wood
  • 2nd Extemporaneous Speaker – Jacob Savage
  • 2nd Dramatic Interpretation – Omari Hawkins
  • 2nd Impromptu – Clay Wood
  • 4th Impromptu: Jacob Savage

Cowtown Day 3, hosted by West Texas A&M University:

  • 5th Extemporaneous – Jacob Savage
  • 3rd Prose Interpretation – Omari Hawkins
  • 4th Dramatic Interpretation – Clay Wood
  • Top Community College – Tyler Junior College
  • Top Community College for the Swing – Tyler Junior College

TJC won 1st in Debate Sweepstakes, 2nd in Individual Events Sweepstakes and 1st Overall Sweepstakes

  • Dillon Hughes: 1st in Extemp, 2nd in Impromptu, 1st in Parli, 3rd in LD Debate
  • Clay Wood: 1st in Speech to Entertain, 5th in Extemp, 7th in Impromptu
  • Jacob Savage: 2nd in Extemp, 3rd in Speech to Entertain, 3rd in IPDA Debate, 4th in Impromptu, 4th in Dramatic Interpretation,
  • Ashton Eichelman – 1st in Dramatic Interpretation
  • Omari Hawkins – 3rd in Dramatic Interpretation, 4th in Poetry Interpretation, 5th in Prose Interpretation
  • Tyler Cole, 3rd in IPDA Debate, 6th in Speech to Entertain, 7th in Extemp,
  • Gavin Downing, 1st in Parli, 1st in LD Debate, 6th in Extemp
  • Skyler Walker: 1st in Prose Interpretation, 2nd in Parli

For Overall Top Speakers:

  • 2nd Dillon Huges
  • 3rd Gavin Downing
  • 4th Jacob Savage

The TJC Speech and Debate team just competed in the Texas Community College Forensic Association’s state championship tournament hosted by San Jacinto College North on February 12-14th. TJC won First Place Overall Sweepstakes, First Place Debate Sweepstakes and Third Place Individual Events Sweepstakes. Our debaters set a state record in winning all of the top awards in all three types of debate at the same tournament! (A very difficult feat!) I am very proud to announce the following winners:

Parliamentary Debate

  • 1st – Jacob Savage and Skyler Walker (went undefeated)
  • 2nd – Gavin Downing and Dillon Hughes (went undefeated)
  • 3rd – Tyler Cole and Clay Woods
  • Lincoln-Douglas Debate:
  • 1st – Gavin Downing
  • 2nd – Dillon Hughes

International Public Debate:

  • 1st – Clay Wood (went undefeated)
  • 2nd – Tyler Cole (went undefeated)
  • 3rd – Jacob Savage
  • 4th – Skyler Walker
  • Top Debate Speakers Overall:
  • 1st – Jacob Savage
  • 2nd – Clay Wood
  • 3rd – Gavin Downing
  • 5th – Skyler Walker

Poetry Interpretation:

  • 4th – Omari Hawkins

Prose Interpretation:

  • 3rd – Omari Hawkins
  • 6th – Gavin Downing

Extemporaneous Speaking:

  • 1st – Jacob Savage
  • 4th – Clay Wood
  • 5th – Skyler Walker
  • 6th – Dillon Hughes

Speech to Entertain:

  • 1st – Clay Wood
  • 3rd – Jacob Savage
  • 5th – Tyler Cole

Program Oral Interpretation:

  • 4th – Skyler Walker

Dramatic Interpretation:

  • 2nd – Omari Hawkins

Impromptu Speaking:

  • 1st – Skyler Walker
  • 2nd – Clay Wood
  • 4th – Gavin Downing

Top Overall Individual Events Speaker:

  • 5th – Clay Wood

Collier Patton Cumulative Award:

  • Tyler Junior College

The TJC Speech and Debate Team are National Champions! The Speech and Debate Team attended the Phi Rho Pi community college nationals in Costa Mesa, California April 4-10th. We took eight students to this tournament, which had 69 community colleges from across the country in attendance! (This meant that we competed in the mid-size team entry division.) All of our students came back winners! We had a near TJC record of the number of events that advanced to Semi-Finals. Ten of our entries advanced and here is a list of the results:

The results below meant that TJC won:

  • Debate Sweepstakes: Silver
  • Individual Events Sweepstakes: Gold
  • Overall Sweepstakes: Gold

Silver Award:

  • Omari Hawkins in Dramatic Interpretation

Bronze Awards:

  • Omari Hawkins in Prose Interpretation
  • Skyler Walker in Prose Interpretation
  • Clay Wood in Impromptu Speaking
  • Clay Wood in International Public Debate
  • Gavin Downing and Dillon Hughes in Parliamentary Debate
  • Jacob Savage and Skyler Walker in Parliamentary Debate
  • Jacob Savage in Dramatic Interpretation
  • Jacob Savage in Extemporaneous Speaking
  • Tyler Cole in Extemporaneous Speaking

Talent Show:

  • Earlyssa Cooper in Slam Poetry