The debate team’s first-ever fundraiser will put teachers in a sticky situation. 

Organized by junior and communications director Shika Menon with senior and debate captain Delaney McClure, the fundraiser will allow students to duct tape teachers to the cafeteria walls during lunch in the last week of school, with each $1 donation worth 5 inches of tape and volunteering hours for other school clubs. The fundraiser is following the surplus of new members that joined the debate team this year after the team’s beginning-of-year decision to allow anyone to join.

“Historically, the team has been really small,” McClure said. “We’ve just been the people that chose to join the [debate] classes, which was like 10 to 12 people. But we expanded this year to being like ‘Anyone who wants to join the club, you can’ and transitioned to a club rather than a class, so we have a lot more people coming in.”

The less strict policy for new members increased the number of students competing in debate but came with a hefty price, from the increased cost of buying t-shirts to enrolling students in debate competitions and purchasing graduation cords. 

“It costs money to do certain things that clubs have,” McClure said. “I just want to make sure that [the debate team] is all set up for next year and start doing fundraisers so we can get to that position as a club.” 

According to Menon, the process of getting teacher volunteers is going smoothly. Debate teacher Bianca Rocha is handling the bookkeeping. Menon and McClure are also receiving organizing help from APUSH teacher and next year’s debate teacher Josh Marsh. Overall, Menon said she thinks the price they set for the duct tape will lead to a more successful fundraiser and a better experience for participating students.

“We think [the pricing is] more reasonable than $1 per 1 inch of tape, so they’re not spending too much,” Menon said. “I definitely think it’s a fun way to not spend too much money, but still participate in duct-taping the teachers.”