Latest news with #speechanddebate
CBS News
10 hours ago
- Health
- CBS News
Texas teacher who built speech program from scratch surprised with $100,000 gift
A West Texas speech and debate coach who has spent her own savings to help rural students compete in national competitions received a surprise $100,000 gift at the National Speech and Debate Tournament. Deb Garoui, who teaches and coaches in Post, Texas, was recognized during the tournament for her dedication to students from low-income families. The gift from design company Canva came as Garoui faces medical debt from caring for her son, who has a severe form of epilepsy. "I'm just in disbelief," Garoui said after receiving the surprise. "We're $4 million in medical debt right now." Garoui, a breast cancer survivor and single mother, has paid for hotel rooms, meals and entry fees for her students using money from her own pocket. Many of her students come from families living in poverty. "One kid didn't even own a suitcase before we started traveling," Garoui said. "They have dirt floors. We have students who don't have heat or water. This is true poverty." Her son Noah, who sometimes travels with the team, has Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and requires about two dozen medications daily. He recently spent five months in the hospital, with Garoui and her daughter Noor taking turns at his bedside. Garoui said she also hopes to use the $100,000 to repair her son's wheelchair, get him a shower chair and repair plumbing that broke in their house while her son Noah was in the hospital for five months. Despite financial struggles, Garoui's teams have reached both state and national competitions. Her daughter Noor was the top performer on her previous team. The surprise presentation was made by CBS News contributor David Begnaud, who served as master of ceremonies at the national tournament. The National Speech and Debate Association also received a $100,000 donation from Canva. Scott Wunn, executive director of the National Speech and Debate Association, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. "These kids, especially the kids that I teach that are in the middle of nowhere, get that opportunity to use their voices and advocate for themselves," Garoui said of the association's impact. The documentary "Speak." features Garoui and highlights the speech and debate community's role in empowering students. David Begnaud loves uncovering the heart of every story and will continue to do so, highlighting everyday heroes and proving that there is good news in the news with his exclusive "CBS Mornings" series, "Beg-Knows America." Every Monday, get ready for moments that will make you smile or even shed a tear. Do you have a story about an ordinary person doing something extraordinary for someone else? Email David and his team at DearDavid@
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Wyoming man arrested for causing thousand-person stampede at high school debate tournament
A Wyoming man sparked chaos at a national high school debate tournament after storming the stage and triggering a thousand-person stampede that left officials scrambling and terrified attendees fleeing in all directions. Jayden Roccaforte, 22, a four-time national champion in speech and debate, was arrested on Thursday, June 19 at the 2025 National Speech and Debate Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa. A viral video shows Roccaforte swaying on stage with a backpack, making unsettling gestures and launching into a bizarre 'knock knock' joke that quickly spiraled into panic. 'You wanna hear a joke?' he asked the crowd, before shouting 'Knock knock!' and crouching over his bag as if to pull something out - prompting someone to ask, 'Run away?' Moments later, thousands began to flee the venue. According to Des Moines police, Roccaforte now faces a charge of disorderly conduct and two counts of drug possession. On Friday, June 20, district spokesperson Mary Quast told Cowboy State Daily that Roccaforte was neither an employee nor a volunteer and had no affiliation with the school's speech and debate program. But conflicting accounts and screenshots tell a different story. Screenshots reviewed by Cowboy State Daily show that Roccaforte was added to a group chat with East High students and coaches on June 11, and remained in the chat until being removed after Thursday's incident. An August 2024 blog post by One Clap Speech and Debate had previously described Roccaforte as someone who coached East High students after graduating. Now a student at West Kentucky University, Roccaforte reportedly traveled to the tournament independently - but he was seen wearing an orange 'attendee' ribbon, which according to tournament rules, means a school approved his presence on-site. Both a parent and a student told Cowboy State Daily that Roccaforte was with the East High team throughout the day on Thursday - traveling in a school district vehicle and even joining students and coaches for meals. 'He was kind of just hanging out with people,' one student said. 'There wasn't really anyone to coach at that point; we were just going there to (perform).' Later that night, at 9:45 p.m., East High head coach Marcus Viney sent an email to tournament attendees confirming that Roccaforte was a former student of the program but had traveled to the event 'independently… with the intent to celebrate an important team award.' On Friday afternoon, assistant coach Ashley Schulz sent a group message to students warning them not to speak with reporters: 'If anyone gets contacted by the news, we are not allowed to speak with them at all. The district will comment. NOT us.'
