LOS ANGELES, CA – As Session II begins, our staff is gearing up and getting ready! We’ve compiled a pretty amazing staff and we’d love to share why we think they’re so great! So far we’ve introduced you to your curriculum directors: David McNeil, Karlyn Gorski, and Ryan Lawrence. Today, we’d like to introduce you to a staff member and possibly your Session II lab leader: JP Gooderham!JP is currently a rising senior in the honors program at Tulane University in New Orleans. As a coach, JP has helped nine students qualify to the Tournament of Champions, attaining bids at every major tournament in the country, and has coached two students to out-rounds at the TOC. While in high school, JP reached the final round of the Glenbrooks, won the Perspectives Round Robin hosted by UPenn, and competed at the MBA Round Robin while setting the career bid record for his home state of Pennsylvania. JP cleared at every tournament he attended on the national circuit during his career, including Glenbrooks, Harvard (twice), Lexington (twice), Meadows, Ohio Valley, Wake Forest, and Yale. He has since taught at both sessions of the Victory Briefs Institute.
We are thrilled to have such a talented and accomplished former debater join us for this summer’s second installment of VBI!
We know his accomplishments, but let’s get to know JP a little bit better:
Nicknames: Juan Pedro, The Ging, Big GingerBest known for: Being a finalist in Charlie Sheen's search for an intern (www.facebook.com/JPForTigerBlood), being Wendy Williams' pick on BET television for Sheen's intern (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G6fAZX-B-8)Celebrity look-a-like: Rupert Grint (aka Ron Weasley)Favorite tournament: Meadows ("The belt is the best prize in debate"; "I lost in the semifinals two times, both years I went. It was devastating, but to me, Meadows is the real TOC because it ends with a gaudy boxing style championship belt.")Favorite movies: Indiana Jones: Raiders of the ArkFavorite bad movie: Troll 2 (which has a 2.5/10 on IMDB)Favorite musicians/artists/composers: The Strokes, Wiz Khalifa ("even though he has replicated the same song 1200 times, I like him because he played at my prom before he was famous")Hobbies: Blogging (he used to run a golf blog), college Model United Nations
JP is incredibly friendly! Don't be shy and make sure to say hello!