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Students say thank you to Hastings High debate coach
With action packed, crowd cheering, athletic competition, we might not pay quite as close attention to students competing in other fields or the coaches that train them.
News Five's Amy West takes a look at a local debate coach and her work. News 5 got in touch with the debate coach at Hastings Senior High, Delta Fajardo, after a student of hers wrote in telling us what a difference she had made for the team. Putting in long hours and weekends, they say she's always there for them. There are coaches... and then there are coaches. Delta Fajardo has been the debate coach at Hastings Senior High for 8 years. Her articulate team has won a shelf full of trophies and this year is sending two of its speakers to the national tournament in Texas. "It seemed like we were ready for it, like every argument that we came up against it seemed like we had a counter argument already prepared," said Thomas Cooke. That training and sweat for the big win takes place here - among stocks and piles of research and regular, lively debates under the guidance of Coach Fajardo. "She's always sending us whatever evidence that she finds and whenever she has an idea she'll freak out and call us all back into the room and say I have this idea and I need you guys to consider this and put it in your case," said Cooke. "Oh she's always here. I think she lives at the school," said Nick Valle. It's that kind of dedication that inspired one of her debaters to write in to News 5 saying Ms. Fajardo is more than a coach - she's a second mother - someone that will always put her team before herself. "Okay, they succeeded in making me cry," said Fajardo. On any given week Fajardo is researching 17 different topics, getting to school at 7:15 in the morning and leaving at 9:00 or 10:00 at night. and spending every weekend at tournaments out of town. That's on top of her regular teaching schedule. "She'll stay as long as she needs to until we understand our case to the point of being able to debate it really well," said Sierra Edmistin. She'll even spend her honeymoon with the team accompanying Thomas and Nick for nationals in Dallas just two days after her wedding. "I called Mike and I was crying and I said, Mike, can you understand that I need to do this? I need to do this. We've got the rest of our lives to be together but these kids only have one chance really to go, maybe two. It's the chance of a lifetime I can't deny them that. And while this coach may not get a shower of Gatorade after a successful season her team says thanks. "Thanks a lot," said Valle. "Thank you," Cooke said. "I don't know if I'm that good I just - I care," said Fajardo. The national tournament Thomas as Nick will compete in will be in Dallas, Texas on June 11. |
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