Senior Cana Blanton will make the case that the Churchill High School community is one of the best.
And she would be the ideal person to do it; she’s ending her senior year with a UIL State Championship win in Debate.
“Debate has given me a community and helped me develop relationships with my peers. Being a part of the Churchill community has given me the opportunity to find out a lot about myself.”
When making a case for something, expert testimony is essential.
One could argue Cana is an expert on community.
Before moving to Bradley Middle School in eighth grade, she and her family lived in Philadelphia, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New Hampshire again, Austin and Nebraska.
So, she knows a thing or two about communities.
“You can go anywhere to get an education, but I think Churchill has connected me in a very important way in my life. The community that I have gained from Churchill is so important to me and will be when I go off to college.”
Cana’s arguments for how great the Churchill community is really come down to the people.
This includes the people she has met along the way, and the people she debated with.
But there are two people she thinks really shine at Churchill--two teachers who have impacted her.
First, Susan Mann, who Cana thinks is the best English teacher ever.
“Mrs. Mann is one of the teachers that gets me excited about learning. The way she feels excited about what she teaches gets me excited about it. She genuinely cares about what I am doing. She’s gone above and beyond for everyone in the class. I just love her so much.”
Second, but certainly not least, Preston Stolte.
Cana can make the case that he’s the best debate teacher ever.
“Mr. Stolte. He’s definitely been the most influential teacher I have had. He’s helped me so much in my life. He’s pushed me in my debate career. And all of that has made me successful. He has just believed in me. I am a person who doesn’t believe in myself a lot, but he does. He’s always believed I can do things I don’t think I can.”
It turns out Mr. Stolte made quite the influence on Cana.
He went to the University of Texas at Austin.
So, that’s where Cana will go next year.
She plans to major in International Relations.
She’s also going to debate.
And thanks to the Churchill community and her time in debate, she’s already connected with former Churchill Chargers who are now at UT.
She’s making sure she’s got that same supportive community in the next part of her journey.
But she’s not done with Churchill; Cana plans to come back next year and coach the next group of Churchill debaters.
Congratulations Cana and all the 2022 NEISD graduates.
