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2024 National Speech & Debate Champions

    2024 Circle of Champions

    High School National Champions

    Speech Events

    Karla Rivera from Harlingen High School South in Texas<br /> Coached by Eddy Cavazos and John Harper Reynolds<br />

    Lanny D. and B. J. Naegelin Dramatic Interpretation

    Karla Rivera from Harlingen High School South in Texas
    Coached by Eddy Cavazos and John Harper Reynolds
    Mariam Elias-Danjuma and Sanyu Mwassa from White Bear Lake Area High School<br /> in Minnesota<br /> Coached by Anita Ukpokolo and the White Bear Lake Coaching Staff<br />

    Dr. Tommie Lindsey, Jr. Duo Interpretation

    Mariam Elias-Danjuma and Sanyu Mwassa from White Bear Lake Area High School
    in Minnesota
    Coached by Anita Ukpokolo and the White Bear Lake Coaching Staff
    George Matthew Gutierrez from Harlingen High School South in Texas<br /> Coached by Eddy Cavazos and John Harper Reynolds<br />

    Humorous Interpretation

    George Matthew Gutierrez from Harlingen High School South in Texas
    Coached by Eddy Cavazos and John Harper Reynolds
    Sierra Gautreaux from David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy in Louisiana<br /> Coached by Jacob Leger and Brittany Turner<br />

    Informative Speaking

    Sierra Gautreaux from David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy in Louisiana
    Coached by Jacob Leger and Brittany Turner
    Anthony Babu from Concord Carlisle High School in Massachusetts<br /> Coached by Tim Averill and Shannon Babu<br />

    A. C. Eley International Extemporaneous Speaking

    Anthony Babu from Concord Carlisle High School in Massachusetts
    Coached by Tim Averill and Shannon Babu
    Esther Oyetunji from American Heritage Broward High School in Florida<br /> Coached by Ryan Levesque and Joele Denis<br />

    Pam and Joe Wycoff Original Oratory

    Esther Oyetunji from American Heritage Broward High School in Florida
    Coached by Ryan Levesque and Joele Denis
    Victory Okoroji from Hastings High School in Texas<br /> Coached by Larrisha “Birdie” McDonnough<br />

    Program Oral Interpretation

    Victory Okoroji from Hastings High School in Texas
    Coached by Larrisha “Birdie” McDonnough
    Téa Shouldice from Half Hollow Hills High School East in New York<br /> Coached by Melinda McCormack<br />

    Carmendale Fernandes United States Extemporaneous Speaking

    Téa Shouldice from Half Hollow Hills High School East in New York
    Coached by Melinda McCormack

    Debate Events

    Fadhil Lawal from Seven Lakes High School in Texas<br /> Coached by Bryce Piotrowski and Calen Cabler<br />

    Congressional Debate – House

    Fadhil Lawal from Seven Lakes High School in Texas
    Coached by Bryce Piotrowski and Calen Cabler
    Arnav Misra from Miramonte High School in California<br /> Coached by Kristen Plant<br />

    Congressional Debate – Senate

    Arnav Misra from Miramonte High School in California
    Coached by Kristen Plant

    Calista Woo from Mountain View High School in California<br /> Coached by Julie Herman<br />

    Lincoln-Douglas Debate

    Calista Woo from Mountain View High School in California
    Coached by Julie Herman

    The team of Surya Krishnapillai and Rohan Lingam and the team of Andrew Huang and Shae McInnis from Bellarmine College Preparatory in California<br /> Coached by Aaron Langerman, Tyler Vergho, Ani Prabhu, and Adarsh Hiremath<br />

    Richard B. Sodikow Policy Debate

    The team of Surya Krishnapillai and Rohan Lingam and the team of Andrew Huang and Shae McInnis from Bellarmine College Preparatory in California. Same-school closeout resulting in co-champions
    Coached by Aaron Langerman, Tyler Vergho, Ani Prabhu, and Adarsh Hiremath
    William Brown and Ben Hodges from Durham Academy in North Carolina<br /> Coached by Crawford Leavoy, Rachel Mauchline, Elliott Beamer, Raiyan Choudhury, and Anisha Musti<br />

    Public Forum Debate

    William Brown and Ben Hodges from Durham Academy in North Carolina
    Coached by Crawford Leavoy, Rachel Mauchline, Elliott Beamer, Raiyan Choudhury, and Anisha Musti

    August Kleiboeker, Quinn Smith, Trisha Tewari, Kwaku Asare-Bawuah, and Imani Lwali from Ozark Red<br /> Coached by Karissa Talty<br />

    World Schools Debate

    August Kleiboeker, Quinn Smith, Trisha Tewari, Kwaku Asare-Bawuah, and Imani Lwali from Ozark Red
    Coached by Karissa Talty
    Talia Askenazi from Arlington High School in Massachusetts<br /> Coached by Donald H. Broussard, Jr.<br />

    Big Questions Debate

    Talia Askenazi from Arlington High School in Massachusetts
    Coached by Donald H. Broussard, Jr.

    Supplemental Events

    Jonah Downs from Trinity Preparatory School in Florida<br /> Coached by Benjamin Gaddis, Julia Hren, and Quinn McKenzie<br />

    ​Brother René Sterner Commentary

    Jonah Downs from Trinity Preparatory School in Florida
    Coached by Benjamin Gaddis, Julia Hren, and Quinn McKenzie

    Sebastian Blanco from Downers Grove South High School in Illinois<br /> Coached by Justin Matkovich, Jan Heiteen, and Elighie Wilson<br />

    Expository Speaking

    Sebastian Blanco from Downers Grove South High School in Illinois
    Coached by Justin Matkovich, Jan Heiteen, and Elighie Wilson

    Mason Renner from The Pembroke Hill School in Missouri<br /> Coached by Parker Hopkins, Jaggard Williams, Alicia Stout, Kristen Stout, Graham Revare, Eric Morris, Talyna Morris, and Bobby Phillips<br />

    Extemporaneous Debate

    Mason Renner from The Pembroke Hill School in Missouri
    Coached by Parker Hopkins, Jaggard Williams, Alicia Stout, Kristen Stout, Graham Revare, Eric Morris, Talyna Morris, and Bobby Phillips
    Madeline White from Gwynedd Mercy Academy in Pennsylvania<br /> Coached by Danielle Greenberg and Jill Dougherty<br />

    Impromptu

    Madeline White from Gwynedd Mercy Academy in Pennsylvania
    Coached by Danielle Greenberg and Jill Dougherty
    Alex Mohr from Louisville High School in Ohio<br /> Coached by Katy Russell and Jake Zartman<br />

    Original Spoken Word Poetry

    Alex Mohr from Louisville High School in Ohio
    Coached by Katy Russell and Jake Zartman
    Abena Bonsu from Lincoln East High School in Nebraska<br /> Coached by Nick Herink and Elle Bart<br />

    Poetry Reading

    Abena Bonsu from Lincoln East High School in Nebraska
    Coached by Nick Herink and Elle Bart
    Sadie Jensen from Harlingen High School South in Texas<br /> Coached by Eddy Cavazos and John Harper Reynolds<br />

    Prose Reading

    Sadie Jensen from Harlingen High School South in Texas
    Coached by Eddy Cavazos and John Harper Reynolds
    Sadie Jensen from Harlingen High School South in Texas<br /> Coached by Eddy Cavazos and John Harper Reynolds<br />

    Storytelling

    Sadie Jensen from Harlingen High School South in Texas
    Coached by Eddy Cavazos and John Harper Reynolds

    Middle School National Champions

    Brooke Carlson from Kenston Middle in Ohio<br /> Coached by Stephan Voudris, Shannon Carlson, and Samuel Berlin<br />

    Congressional Debate

    Brooke Carlson from Kenston Middle in Ohio
    Coached by Stephan Voudris, Shannon Carlson, and Samuel Berlin
    Brayden Barraza-Rodriguez from Edgewood Middle in California<br /> Coached by Sal Tinajero and Emily Benavides<br />

    Declamation

    Brayden Barraza-Rodriguez from Edgewood Middle in California
    Coached by Sal Tinajero and Emily Benavides
    Gabriella Otero from American Heritage Broward MS in Florida<br /> Coached by Joele Denis, Charese Folks, Ryan Levesque, Spencer Orlowski, and Thadeus Smith<br />

    Dramatic Interpretation

    Gabriella Otero from American Heritage Broward MS in Florida
    Coached by Joele Denis, Charese Folks, Ryan Levesque, Spencer Orlowski, and Thadeus Smith
    Mathis Rothschild & Gabriella Otero from American Heritage Broward MS in Florida<br /> Coached by Joele Denis, Charese Folks, Ryan Levesque, Spencer Orlowski, and Thadeus Smith<br />

    Duo Interpretation

    Mathis Rothschild & Gabriella Otero from American Heritage Broward MS in Florida
    Coached by Joele Denis, Charese Folks, Ryan Levesque, Spencer Orlowski, and Thadeus Smith
    Apollo Meneses from Parks Junior High in California<br /> Coached by Adriena Toghia, Amelia Burns, and Mariela Garcia-Alvarado<br />

    Humorous Interpretation

    Apollo Meneses from Parks Junior High in California
    Coached by Adriena Toghia, Amelia Burns, and Mariela Garcia-Alvarado
    Quinlan Iwasaka from Rosemont Middle School in California<br /> Coached by Mike Kyle<br />

    Impromptu Speaking

    Quinlan Iwasaka from Rosemont Middle School in California
    Coached by Mike Kyle
    Veda Bharath from Chaboya Middle School in California<br /> Coached by Mariela Garcia-Alvarado, Salvador Tinajero, and the Advantage Communications Team<br />

    Informative Speaking

    Veda Bharath from Chaboya Middle School in California
    Coached by Mariela Garcia-Alvarado, Salvador Tinajero, and the Advantage Communications Team
    Jason Kuo from BASIS Independent Middle in California<br /> Coached by Steven Leal and Jennifer Cho<br />

    Lincoln-Douglas Debate

    Jason Kuo from BASIS Independent Middle in California
    Coached by Steven Leal and Jennifer Cho
    Aanya Mohta from Lake Middle School in Minnesota<br /> Coached by Katie Scholz

    Mixed Extemporaneous Speaking

    Rory Hu from The Harker Middle School in California
    Coached by Hannah Wilson, Nathan Fleming, Jenny Achten, Greg Achten, and Scott Odekirk
    Annette Lee from Parks Junior High in California<br /> Coached by Adriena Toghia, Amelia Burns, and Mariela Garcia-Alvarado<br />

    Original Oratory

    Annette Lee from Parks Junior High in California
    Coached by Adriena Toghia, Amelia Burns, and Mariela Garcia-Alvarado

    Rachael McCall from Cabot Junior High North in Arkansas<br /> Coached by Tiffany Tucker<br />

    Original Spoken Word Poetry

    Rachael McCall from Cabot Junior High North in Arkansas
    Coached by Tiffany Tucker

    Gabriella Otero from American Heritage Broward MS in Florida<br /> Coached by Joele Denis, Charese Folks, Ryan Levesque, Spencer Orlowski, and Thadeus Smith<br />

    Poetry

    Gabriella Otero from American Heritage Broward MS in Florida
    Coached by Joele Denis, Charese Folks, Ryan Levesque, Spencer Orlowski, and Thadeus Smith
    James Pan & Charlie Pan from Palos Verdes Intermediate School in California Coached by Scott Wheeler

    Policy Debate

    James Pan & Charlie Pan from Palos Verdes Intermediate School in California
    Coached by Scott Wheeler
    Natalie Hong from Parks Junior High in California Coached by Adriena Toghia, Amelia Burns, and Mariela Garcia-Alvarado

    Program Oral Interpretation

    Natalie Hong from Parks Junior High in California
    Coached by Adriena Toghia, Amelia Burns, and Mariela Garcia-Alvarado

    Darcy Lam from Edgewood Middle in California<br /> Coached by Sal Tinajero and Emily Benavides<br />

    Prose

    Darcy Lam from Edgewood Middle in California
    Coached by Sal Tinajero and Emily Benavides
    Rachel Cohen & Anthony Fateev from American Heritage Broward MS in Florida<br /> Coached by Joele Denis, Charese Folks, Ryan Levesque, Spencer Orlowski, and Thadeus Smith<br />

    Public Forum Debate

    Rachel Cohen & Anthony Fateev from American Heritage Broward MS in Florida
    Coached by Joele Denis, Charese Folks, Ryan Levesque, Spencer Orlowski, and Thadeus Smith
    Oliver Berg from Orono Middle School in Minnesota<br /> Coached by Barbara Shofner and Nicolle Berg<br />

    Storytelling

    Oliver Berg from Orono Middle School in Minnesota
    Coached by Barbara Shofner and Nicolle Berg
    Alina Robinson, Calvin Massey, Talia Simon, and Neilson Chien from Tierra Linda Middle School in California<br /> Coached by Collin Tuerk, Gianna Colby, and Marty De<br />

    World Schools Debate

    Alina Robinson, Calvin Massey, Talia Simon, and Neilson Chien from Tierra Linda Middle School in California
    Coached by Collin Tuerk, Gianna Colby, and Marty De

    National Student of the Year

    2024 National Student of the Year, Beneyam Hassen, Sioux Falls Jefferson High School, South Dakota

    2024 National Student of the Year

    Beneyam Hassen

    The William Woods Tate, Jr., National Student of the Year award, presented by Richard Bitner in honor of David Price, is one of the most honorable and renowned student awards presented by the National Speech & Debate Association. The Student of the Year is awarded to a graduating senior member who has been honored as a District Student of the Year and who best represents the tenets of the Association’s Code of Honor: humility, equity, integrity, respect, leadership, and service.

    Learn more about Student of the Year »

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