Growing and pushing. These two words would be the best way to describe Powell High School’s speech and debate team.

They are in the last month of their season and their progress since the beginning is notable. Last year, the team was not what it is now; only a couple of teens made up the group. Now, coaches Mrs. Michelle Bills and Mr. Hans Hawley have an expanding group of kids in their hands.

On Feb. 2 and 3, the party drove to Casper and competed against 26 different schools at Natrona High School. Since their novice season ended last month, this meet was varsity.

“It was a difficult meet and we didn’t have anyone break to finals, but we did have a lot of good things going on and the kids are growing every single meet that we go to,” Mrs. Bills said. “So each meet becomes better and better for them, so I think we see improvement.”

Participating in Lincoln-Douglas Debate were Lucy Sullivan and Bennett Walker. Aidan Hunt performed in drama interpretation. Daniel Hawley and Crystal Emmett in humor interpretation and Courtney Childers in extemp debate. Participating in original oratory included Shaelynn Theriault and Marina Goffaux, and Anna Atkinson took a part in informative. The last of the bunch, Grant Dillivan and Nic Fulton, engaged in a humor duet together.

“Casper was our first big meet of the season,”  Sullivan said. “No one on the team made it to finals, but we all performed well and had fun. We only have two meets before state and national qualifiers, and I think the rest of our season is going to go smoothly.”

The team will take on the next group of schools at the varsity Greybull meet on Feb. 22.