Schools

Apple Valley, Eastview Home to Nat'l Debate Qualifiers, State Speech Winners

The state speech tournament was held this past weekend, while the school's debaters qualified for June nationals at regional competitions in December and January.

and high school students on the speech teams and on the debate teams have been busy the past few months.

Students who qualified for the state speech tournaments competed this weekend, and Apple Valley had nine medalists, while Eastview had eight. Apple Valley and Eastview students took home four first-place titles:

  • Sophia Anger, AVHS, extemporaneous reading
  • Michaela Brause, AVHS, great speeches
  • Lisa Ramroop, EVHS, discussion
  • Ben Habegger, EVHS, storytelling

Second-place finishers included:

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  • Bryan Porter, AVHS, humorous interpretation
  • Nader Helmy, AVHS, original oratory
  • Karina Devine, EVHS, serious interpretation - drama
  • Ashesh Rambachan, EVHS, extemporaneous speaking
  • Mike Ross, EVHS, creative expression

Third-place finishers:

  • Kellie Metzger, AVHS, extemporaneous reading
  • Jessica Reagan, AVHS, great speeches
  • Georgia Schmitt, AVHS, informative speaking
  • Tim Jurney, EVHS, serious interpretation - poetry

Other finishers at state included:

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  • Kirby Hermansen, AVHS, fourth place, original oratory
  • Erin Shaw, AVHS, fourth place, serious interpretation - prose
  • Sarah Mooradian, EVHS, fifth place, informative speaking
  • Sam Mayer, EVHS, sixth place, discussion

Members of the debate teams at the high schools have participated in qualifying events since December to make it to the National Forensic League's national speech and debate competition, which will be held June 13-18 in Dallas.

Eastview High School qualifiers are:

  • Maddie Johnson and Katie Baldwin, public forum debate (team)
  • Steven Albers and Allie Johnson, public forum debate (team)
  • Averi Haugesag and Kiki Laing, duo interpretation (team)
  • Karina Devine and Tim Jurney, duo interpretation (team)
  • Ashesh Rambachan, international extemporaneous speaking
  • Tony Bigelow, international extemporaneous speaking
  • Sergey Ivanchuk, international extemporaneous speaking
  • Svati Pazhyanur, U.S. extemporaneous speaking
  • Adithya Balaji in U.S. extemporaneous speaking
  • Joyee Chin in original oratory

Apple Valley High School qualifiers are:

  • Jon Slater, Lincoln-Douglas debate
  • John Granlund, Lincoln-Douglas debate
  • Luke Stuttgen, Lincoln-Douglas debate
  • Rand Silvers, Congressional debate
  • Hogan McDonald, Congressional Debate
  • Rhett Gopaul, Congressional debate
  • Bryan Porter, dramatic interpretation
  • Erin Shaw in dramatic interpretation
  • Nader Helmy, original oratory
  • Kirby Hermansen, original oratory


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