The MVLA Speech and Debate team combines two schools--Mountain View High School (CA) and Los Altos High School--into a single strong forensics team.  We meet every Wednesday from 7-9PM, beginning in the cafeteria at MVHS and then breaking off into smaller groups based on event.  We compete in a wide variety of events--Individual Events, Debate events, and spontaneous speech--but we have particularly strong Congress and Lincoln-Douglas debate squads.  We sent several people to the California state championship and several to the LD Tournament of Champions as well; we are ranked second in the nation for total number of bids (qualifying legs) to the TOC.

The team is led by head coach Dr. Sharon Moerner, a teacher at Blach Intermediate School in Los Altos and mother of stellar debater Daniel Moerner.  The current team president is Daniel Garber.  We are off to a good start as of the beginning of the 2008-2009 season, and we are sure more is to come.

One important aspect of our team is that we, the students and parents, are in charge of the team.  Although we get support from the school, the team is truly student-driven, and the adults who help out by coaching or judging are primarily parents, college students, and interested community members.

We can be contacted at mvlaspeechdebate@gmail.com

Coaching Staff and Parent Volunteers, 2008-2009

Dr. Sharon Moerner - Head Coach
Karen Keefer - Assistant Coach
Brook Mangin - MVHS Faculty sponsor
Ryan Ikeda - LAHS Faculty sponsor
Kit Bay - Speech judge coordinator
Viji Jagannathan - Speech judge coordinator
Showle Khalessi - Debate judge coordinator
Melinda and Kevin Pei - Treasurers
John and Mary Magee - School Liaison and Information Officers
Anne Yahanda - National Forensic League Advisor
Margaret Arculus - Lei/water sale coordinator for graduation (LAHS)

Speech Events:

We still need a Prepared Speeches coach; please send a message to mvlaspeechdebate@gmail.com if you have any ideas or are interested!

Brook Mangin - Impromptu
Naveen Kollipara - Spontaneous


Debate Events:

Karen Keefer - Novice Argumentation
Stephen Hess - Varsity LD debate
Eric Palmer - Varsity LD debate
Alex Smith - Varsity LD debate
Barbara Bryan - JV LD debate