Diablo Valley College’s speech and debate team gave a performance worth more than just the extra credit most student attendees received.

According to the box office cashier, tickets sold out around 3 p.m. on Tuesday Nov. 25, but additional students were still allowed to enter if others left early.

The first speech, by Rosemary Endick, attempted to persuade the audience that while childhood obesity is an issue, the use of charts and “fat letters” or notes sent home with kids to inform their parents of their unhealthiness, are bigger issues, especially when they are applied to children who are perfectly healthy.

She asserted that sports, recess and teaching kids about good eating habits are more effective methods for keeping kids healthy.

Next, Nicole Morrison-Fountain delivered an impromptu speech based around the Meghan Trainor song “All About That Bass.”

Her interpretation of this song is that the female figure has been corrupted. She used an example of a Disney doll of villainess Ursula, which went from the original large figure down to the smaller, slimmer version.

Morrison-Fountain also cited Susan Douglas’ book “The rise of Enlightened Sexism,” and said right thinking about obesity as a problem can go too far and lead to wrong thinking that a girl must be extremely thin to be attractive.

After the speech, Morrison-Fountain, said about the debate team “The people really make the experience great.” She said being part of the team is exhilarating as well as a good environment to test your skills.

Carley Sibley presented a humorous, yet informative speech about the dangers of unprotected sex, as she explained the blame on society, and ultimately the individual, for not respecting their own bodies. Tying jokes with facts, Sibley kept the audience engaged and even handed out condoms at the end of the night.

The final part of the night was the parliamentary debate, in which Jordan Fields and Alex Ford debated against Paul Villa and Inquirer staff member Elicia Locke on a policy that would ban non-academic websites on the DVC Wi-Fi.

Both sides kept the audience entertained with back-and-forth arguments that maintained a lightness of personal digs, but also moved the debate forward with serious consideration of censorship.

The audience selected Villa and Locke, who argued to maintain the current Wi-Fi rules, as the winners of the debate.

Team member Bradley Silva, 22, said he joined in fall of 2012 after taking comm 120 and 121 with professor Shannon Padilla, and that his favorite part of the team is participating in tournaments.

Villa, 22, has been on the team for one year, and after an injury that ended his wrestling career, he has found debate to be an outlet for his competitive side.

Ford, 23, said debating was a love-hate relationship for him at first, but that he has really come to enjoy the comradery that has developed with his partner.

For more information about how to join the speech and debate team, contact Patrick Moe at [email protected], John Hanecak at [email protected], Shannon Padilla at [email protected] or Tony Bernacchi at [email protected]