Red, white and true blue
Panthers owner gifts backpacks to Thomasboro students
Thomasboro
Academy’s colors are
red and white. But the
whole school turned blue
on Aug. 28 as more than
620 students donned
Carolina Panthers shirts
for a pep rally. New team
owner David Tepper
visited the school along
with Panthers mascot Sir
Purr to share a surprise.
“Just like our football
players need equipment,
you guys need equipment,” said Tepper. “We want to support you. So
we brought backpacks filled with classroom supplies for all of you.”
Tepper, who officially signed on as new Panthers team owner July
2, said helping all students get ready for school is close to his heart.
“We struggled financially when I was a child,” said Tepper. “I used
to carry my things to school in a large brown paper bag. I know what it
is like to struggle and I want to
help.”
The donation is part of
a larger campaign organized
by Tepper’s foundation and
Classroom Central. In all, the
campaign will donate 12,000
backpacks to more than 17
area schools.
After the pep rally, Tepper
visited classrooms to distribute
the backpacks. They were filled
with crayons, notebooks, paper and other school supplies.
Principal Jan McIver said the donation will help her students be
prepared for school. “For them to equip our students with backpacks
and supplies of their own really helps our students have a level playing
field,” she said. “They are now fully prepared and this takes quite a
burden off parents and teachers.”
‘An honor, but also daunting’
North Mecklenburg’s Satya Khurana begins debate season as nation’s top orator
When Satya Khurana was a
freshman, she had her doubts about
joining the North Mecklenburg High
Debate and Speech Team. “Satya’s success as an orator comes from a combination of talent
and an incredible work ethic,” said Christopher Rocca, head coach
emeritus of the North Meck team. “Her ranking gives the team a
leader whose qualities are what every team member will strive for.”
“To be honest, speech and debate
wasn’t something I wanted to do, but
people kept telling me to give it a
chance,” Satya said. “Once I attended
my first tournament, I was hooked.
Being part of a community of students
who are knowledgeable about global
issues is exciting and a bit addictive.” Rocca said a good oration is written in the beginning of the season
and can become a great one throughout the year as it is edited and
refined in subtle speaking techniques. He said Satya is an excellent
student who has honed her writing skills in crafting her orations and
polished her presentation skills through constant practicing.
Satya honed her presentation
skills, qualifying for nationals in her
sophomore and junior years, and
reaching the octafinals of the National
Individual Events Tournament of
Champions. This year, her hard work reaped an even bigger payoff:
She begins the 2018-2019 competitive season as the number-one
original orator in the country, ranked by the National Speech & Debate
Association (NSDA).
“Being first is an honor, but it is also rather daunting,” Satya said.
“Maintaining this rank will not be easy.”
Original Oratory combines writing, research, argumentative
and speaking abilities. Students research and compose an original
10-minute speech, usually persuasive, then memorize and perform
it at competitive tournaments. The NSDA system attributes points
to competitors in Original Oratory based on the number of rounds
competed in and ranks in those rounds.
“She attended almost every competitive tournament the team
has, and has accumulated more National Forensic League points than
any other competitor in the nation,” Rocca said.
Satya said speech and debate is fun and has challenged her in
new ways. In addition to becoming a more thoughtful and poised
speaker, she said, she has learned to see the world in a new way.
“It has forced me to look at controversial subjects and question
the way our society works,” Satya said. “Speech and debate is so
much more than a competition. It’s about sharing a passion and
helping people see from other perspectives. It’s about igniting change
through words.”
Satya said she encourages any student to give speech and
debate a chance. She emphasized that it’s not all about winning and
tournament standings; it’s about growth.
“Speech and debate helps you build confidence and hone critical-
thinking and communication skills,” Satya said. “It also fosters
long-lasting friendships within your team, as well as the speech
community.”
Parent Teacher Magazine • November/December 2018 • 3