Chesterton Tribune

 

 

CHS qualifies nine more for national speech and debate tourney

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The Chesterton High School Speech Team qualified nine students in eight events for the National Speech and Debate Association’s national tournament to be held in Dallas, Texas in June. This brings the Speech and Debate team’s total number of qualifiers to nineteen students representing the team in all nine of the national events. The team also won the speech sweepstakes award for its top eight entries at the Northeast Indiana District Tournament.

Six schools with about 50 students competed in two preliminary rounds and a semifinal round, with the top six in each event advancing to the final round. CHS had 21 of its 24 entries advance to finals. The top two in each of the six events then qualify for the national tournament.

The tournament, held last Saturday at Plymouth High School, is the second of three national qualifying tournaments. Debate took place in February, and District Congress will be on March 21.

Seniors Carley Lowe and Galen Wong qualified in original oratory, for their second trip to a national tournament. Lowe’s original composition calls for empathy in order to “foster care” and Wong’s urges people to remove their masks and be themselves.

Joining Lowe and Wong in final round oratory were sophomore Natalie Beglin and freshman Emily Coleman, who placed fifth and sixth, respectively.

In humor junior Lexi Justak and sophomore Isabella Portugal took top honors and will attend their first national championship. Justak did a cutting from the play Miss Beth, and Portugal won with her version of I Love My Job. Sophomore James Van Drie placed fifth in humor as well.

In the extemporaneous speaking events sophomore Hayden Hodge qualified in domestic and sophomore Stone Freeman qualified in international. Junior Tim Vincent and senior Nate Burris also qualified but gave up their spots to alternates because they had previously qualified in debate. Also placing in domestic was sophomore Mark Wilcox in fifth. In international senior Andrea Drygas was fourth and freshman Connor Wantuch was fifth.

In dramatic interpretation junior Ayesha Khan qualified with her interpretation of Madras on Rainy Days. Carley Lowe also qualified in drama but, because students can only qualify in one event, opted to do her oratory at nationals. Also placing in drama was sophomore Karly Carden in fifth.

Competing and qualifying in their first district tournament ever was the duo interpretation team of junior Sam Lee and freshman Emily Coleman. They won with their cutting from How to Survive a Horror Movie. Also placing in duo were Portugal and her partner, senior Jake Williger, third, and freshmen Simon Williger and Josh Hogan, fifth.

At the beginning of the awards ceremony the district committee announced that Chesterton senior Abby Burke was selected as the District Student of the Year. Burke’s name will now be entered in the NSDA consideration for the National Student of the Year.

“This is a really great group of young people, who will represent Duneland well at the national tournament. They demonstrate how attitude and effort can contribute to a tradition of pride and excellence,” said program Director Chris Lowery.

Coaches Lowery, Kirsten Reed, Eric Schaefer, Bob Kelly, Josh Coots and Kayla Fleming accompanied the team. In addition, they got judging help from parent James Vincent, and former students Heather Augustyn (class of 1990), Kevin Miloshoff, Mikaela Meyer, Layla Mooradian, Sharon Coleman, and Danny Vincent.

 

 

Posted 3/16/2015

 
 

 

 

 

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