Alex Yoakum is the co-director of Speech and Debate at the Woodlands High School in The Woodlands, Texas. Prior to their first year of teaching this year, they privately coached 20+ students across a five year period. Some coaching highlights include: semi-finalist at the TFA state tournament, champion of the 2020 Harvard Round Robin, semi-finals of the Lexington tournament, champion of the University of Houston (twice), champion of the Alta tournament, a top 20 participant at NSDA nationals, two world schools teams reaching elimination rounds at nationals, as well as frequent outround appearances at bid tournaments and qualifying every Texas student that they have coached to TFA State. After their first year of working as a public school teacher, they have also helped a student from their school to qualify to the TOC for the first time in several years. Alex Yoakum received their B.A. in Philosophy from Emory University in Fall 2020. This will be their 7th summer teaching at NSD. Some of their debate interests include: Kritiks (post-structuralism and identity), analytic/ethical philosophy, and theory. They are looking forward to spending another great summer at NSD!

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