NEWS:           09/30/03           Well, summer has finally come to an end and a new school year, and thus, a new debate season, has officially begun. We all enjoyed the Borlands' Summer Party during the break and thank them once again for having us. The coaches woudl like to remidn the existing team members that practices will begin on Wednesday, September 03, though all aspiring members and orators are free to join us for this introductory meeting. New faces are always welcome, and we woudl be more than happy to have you in our ranks. This is an excellent opportunity to sample the various team activities early in the year so that you can get a fresh start on your oratorical and debating skills. I hope to see you all there!           ~Jeff McGoldrick            5/05/03           Last night, on Sunday, May 04, 2003, the team presented its 5th annual Family and Friends Night, an open house presentation for anyone interested in learning more about the workings of our team. During the presentation we saw a multitude of performances as well as the transition of the presidency from the '02-'03 president, Alex Mertz, to the '03-'04 president, James Casey. The show opened with a special musical dedication written and sung by Jeff McGoldrick with the musical accompaniment of Alex Mertz; a song we entitled "Then and Now."           Performances given included a constructive session of Lincoln-Douglas debate by Shane Casey and Ted Kopec, a constructive session of Policy debate by the teams of Jeff McGoldrick and Sarah Ancas, and Sam Brand and John "Sherman" Monahan, a dramatic duo performance by Megan Kopec and Alison McMannus, an Ex-Com speech by Alex Mertz, and Ex-Temp speech by James Casey, poetry presentations by Sarah Casey and Tara Monahan, and prose presentations by Nick Wilson and Caitlin Bolinger. All the performances were well done and all participants displayed a professional attitude and spoke as if they were in a tournament environment.           Finally, the event concluded with one of our team's favorite parts of any Speech and Debate activity: Snack Time. As the year winds to a close we will be focusing much of our attention on preparations for next year and for the NCFL Grand National Tournament. Those not competing in the tournament are still encouraged to attend practice for the purpose of preparation for next year.           ~Jeff McGoldrick             05/02/03           Well, it's here! The Meyers High School Speech and Debate Homepage is finally up and running. I'm Jeff McGoldrick, the new Visual Design coordinator of the team. As webmaster, I plan on updating the site as necessary throughout the course of the year, including summer practices and information on Mock Trial when we begin that process during the next school year. Currently our site offers a great deal of information about the team, specifically Scheduling information, Tournament Results, News regarding our team, an image gallery consisting of hand-picked selections by yours truly, Links to important sites, and a page consisting of contact information should you require any assistance.           Elections for team offices were held last night, on May 01. I would like to congratulate James Casey on his Presidential Election, Sam "Newman" Brand for his Vice Presidential Election, and Shane Casey on his Secretary Election. I wish all of you the best of luck, and I know you will serve our team to the best of your ability. I recieved the honor of being elected Visual Design Chairman, and I promise to do my best to reflect a positive image on our team.           As we prepare for Friends and Family Night this Sunday we extend an open invitation for anyone in the Wyoming Valley to attend and get a taste of what it is our team does. This open house is a fantastic experience for aspiring members as well, so if you are interested in joining I strongly suggest attendance this weekend. We can't wait to see you there, and who knows, maybe there will be a few surprises along the way...           ~Jeff McGoldrick