For the ninth year in a row, the Green River High School Speech and Debate Team has came home with a District Championship.
Not only did the team bring home a District Championship trophy, but they also brought home the debate sweepstakes award. With 40 points Green River took first, and with 38 points Rock Springs took second.
“We won the Leading Chapter Award as well for excellence in Speech and Debate,” head coach Carina White said. “Our team has consistently proven that they deserve to be the district champions. They had a great tournament and many students made it to final rounds.”
About 200 students from all over the Wind River District were at the tournament. White said the district line is basically separated by Interstate 80 from about Casper over.
While at the district tournament, the team also qualified eight students for nationals. Several other students were named first and second alternates.
As in most tournaments, some students seem to rise to the occasion. Abigail Grubb consistently placed first in all of her rounds and won informative speaking. Green River’s cross examination debaters all had a great tournament and ended up debating each other to qualify; three of the four ended up in final rounds.
The long season is finally over; and the students will have a nice break. Even those who qualified for nationals will have time off.
“It is a relief to have qualified students; and we are all ready for some down time with friends and family,” White said.
The national tournament is scheduled to take place in Salt Lake City this year on June 12-18. White said this is great for the students because it is so close and parents and other team members could attend and cheer on the students if they want.
“We will form a practice schedule around each individual student’s ability to meet with coaches,” White said.
All of this wouldn’t even be possible if the team didn’t have district and community support, she said.
“The GRHS coaching staff would again like to thank our administration,” White said. “We appreciate them immensely and couldn’t have the level of success we do without their support.”
They especially wanted to thank superintendent Donna Little-Kaumo and assistant superintendent Jamie Christensen, as well as the amazing school-board members and high-school administration have been amazing. Tony Beardsley, activities director, has gone above and beyond to support the team.
District Results
Foreign Extemporaneous: seventh place and fifth alternate, Abigail Alcorn
Domestic Extemporaneous: first place and national qualifier, Alexander Marchal
Lincoln Douglas debate: first alternate, Abigail Grubb
Public forum debate: third place and first alternate, Maggie Tallifero and Vabsi Ibarra
Humor: fourth place and first alternate, Emma Nathan
Cross examination: third place tie, second alternate, Haley Lauze and Jesse Lauze and
first alternate Patrick Marchal and Gregory Marchal
Program oral interpretation: third place and first alternate, Leslie Patterson, fifth place and third alternate, Elaine Comer
World school debate national qualifiers: Haley Lauze and Jesse Lauze, Vabsi Ibarra and Maggie Tallifiero
Congress national qualifier: Gregory Marchal
Informative national qualifier: Abigail Grubb, first place, Haley Lauze, second alternate
Duet: first alternates: Karlee Cutler and Lynzi Johnson, second alternates: Morgan Burbank and Sarah Kropf
Congress: House 1: third alternate, Patrick Marchal
Senate: second alternate, Atlin Johnson
House 2: first place and national qualifier, Gregory Marchal, second alternate, Kolbi Schazenbach
Reader Comments(0)