Sophomore Zachary Jones and Senior Ashlyn Ellgass competed at regionals for congress debate November 13 and have advanced to state. The state competition will be held in the State Capitol building in Austin on January 7 through January 9.

“We have gone to state each year this has been a competition event,” speech and debate teacher John Fugler said. “The thing that is different about this year is that these two represent the continuation of a legacy.”

Congress debate is an event that takes an average of six hours to complete and the members are given two weeks in order to prepare. The members debate different legislations submitted by a variety of schools, and at state, they will be allowed to choose one piece of legislation.

“Speech and debate has given me an endless amount of opportunities to see a new perspective on things,” Ellgass said. “It has also allowed me to find out who I am as a person.”

Jones has been involved in debate since his freshman year and has advanced to state for Congress debate, an event where the students act as though they are members of Congress. The top three members at the regional competition advance to the state competition, Jones placing second in his event round.

“I enjoy debating because it allows me to express myself and voice my opinions,” Jones said. “It also allows me to learn about foreign and domestic relations in the world.”

Ellgass has been involved in debate since junior high, being one of the first few who started in junior high. Altogether, Ellgass has five years of experience in Congress, and she placed first at the event.

“Ashlyn and I continue the streak of taking the top two places at the region competition that we’ve held for the past three years,” Jones said. “Lindale has pretty much continued to dominate in Congress in our region.”