2023 National Speech & Debate Champions
High School National Champions
Speech Events
Lanny D. and B. J. Naegelin Dramatic Interpretation
Kylan Williams from Comeaux High School in Louisiana
Coached by Jacob Simon and Kady Laudun
Coached by Jacob Simon and Kady Laudun
Dr. Tommie Lindsey, Jr. Duo Interpretation
Olivia Dahlberg and Greta Homuth from Moorhead High School in Minnesota
Coached by Rebecca Meyer-Larson and Luke Ostrander
Coached by Rebecca Meyer-Larson and Luke Ostrander
Humorous Interpretation
Srilaasya Nedunoori from Millard North High School in Nebraska
Coached by Sabrina Denney Bull
Coached by Sabrina Denney Bull
Informative Speaking
Jocelyn Floyd from J. Frank Dobie High School in Texas
Coached by Jeffery Flores and Jaylon Bolden
Coached by Jeffery Flores and Jaylon Bolden
A. C. Eley International Extemporaneous Speaking
McKinley Paltzik from Phoenix Country Day School in Arizona
Coached by Rhonda Smith and Brittany Stanchik
Coached by Rhonda Smith and Brittany Stanchik
Pam and Joe Wycoff Original Oratory
Esther Oyetunji from American Heritage Broward High School in Florida
Coached by Ryan Levesque, Joele Denis, and Spencer Orlowski
Coached by Ryan Levesque, Joele Denis, and Spencer Orlowski
Program Oral Interpretation
Isabella Royer from San Angelo Central High School in Texas
Coached by Coby Evers
Coached by Coby Evers
Carmendale Fernandes United States Extemporaneous Speaking
Kyle Letterer from Plano West Sr. High School in Texas
Coached by Robey Holland and Reginald Chapman
Coached by Robey Holland and Reginald Chapman
Debate Events
Congressional Debate – House
Anish Beeram from TMI Episcopal in Texas
Coached by Patrick Cook
Coached by Patrick Cook
Congressional Debate – Senate
Tyler Luu from James Logan High School in California
Coached by Jesse Garrett, Quest Sandel, and Joseph Maucieri
Lincoln-Douglas Debate
Eshan Velidandla from Leland High School in California
Coached by Chris Wardner
Richard B. Sodikow Policy Debate
Clare Bradley and Brooklynn Hato from Shawnee Mission South High School in Kansas
Coached by Carolyn Cook, Azja Butler, Jackson Hoffmann, and Sean Kennedy
Coached by Carolyn Cook, Azja Butler, Jackson Hoffmann, and Sean Kennedy
Public Forum Debate
Anbu Subramanian and Bailey Koh from Southlake Carroll High School in Texas
Coached by Anthony Brown
World Schools Debate
Audrey Bae, Mihika Chechi, Cameron Hong, Alex Lee, and James Miller from West Los Angeles Violet
Coached by Brandon Batham
Coached by Brandon Batham
Big Questions Debate
Isobel Maksoudian from Arlington High School in Massachusetts
Coached by Donald H. Broussard, Jr.
Coached by Donald H. Broussard, Jr.
Supplemental Events
Brother René Sterner Commentary
Brandon Cheng from Flintridge Preparatory in California
Coached by Nicole Dalton
Expository Speaking
Joshua Thompson from Cheyenne East High School in Wyoming
Coached by Marcus Viney and Bailey Patterson
Extemporaneous Debate
Jimmy O’Connell from The Pembroke Hill School in Missouri
Coached by Justin Smith
Coached by Justin Smith
Impromptu
Kat Northrop from Westridge School in California
Coached by Nicole Dalton
Coached by Nicole Dalton
Original Spoken Word Poetry
Noldine Belizaire from Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida
Coached by Eva Margarita, Jacob Abraham, Chelsea Briggs, and Lisa Farris
Coached by Eva Margarita, Jacob Abraham, Chelsea Briggs, and Lisa Farris
Poetry Reading
Destinee Owens from Thornton Fractional North High School in Illinois
Coached by Sade’ May and Shaunwell Posley
Coached by Sade’ May and Shaunwell Posley
Prose Reading
Tamiah Stocks from Westmoore High School in Oklahoma
Coached by Kimberly Davis and Alumni Staff
Coached by Kimberly Davis and Alumni Staff
Storytelling
Christiana Oluwole from Thornton Fractional North High School in Illinois
Coached by Sade’ May and Shaunwell Posley
Coached by Sade’ May and Shaunwell Posley
Middle School National Champions
Congressional Debate
Katie Chan from Arizona College Prep Middle School in Arizona
Coached by Manjula Reddy
Coached by Manjula Reddy
Declamation
Natalie Chen from The King’s Academy Middle School in California
Coached by Ricardo Velasquez
Coached by Ricardo Velasquez
Dramatic Interpretation
Adeleine Choi from Parks Junior High in California
Coached by Adriena Toghia and Joshua Beckles
Coached by Adriena Toghia and Joshua Beckles
Duo Interpretation
Avery Clark and Rianne Nelsen from Siouxland Christian Middle School in Iowa
Coached by Emily Hageman
Coached by Emily Hageman
Humorous Interpretation
Ella Kim from Robert C. Fisler in California
Coached by Adriena Toghia and Joshua Beckles
Coached by Adriena Toghia and Joshua Beckles
Impromptu Speaking
Meera Kalluraya from Khan Lab Middle School in California
Coached by Yilin Mao
Coached by Yilin Mao
Informative Speaking
Hannah Yang from Walter Reed Middle in California
Coached by Kate Miller
Coached by Kate Miller
Lincoln-Douglas Debate
Siddhartha Daswani from The Harker Middle School in California
Coached by Hannah Wilson, Nathan Fleming, Jenny Achten, Greg Achten, and Scott Odekirk
Coached by Hannah Wilson, Nathan Fleming, Jenny Achten, Greg Achten, and Scott Odekirk
Mixed Extemporaneous Speaking
Aanya Mohta from Lake Middle School in Minnesota
Coached by Katie Scholz
Coached by Katie Scholz
Original Oratory
Jeriz Gumapal from Parks Junior High in California
Coached by Adriena Toghia and Joshua Beckles
Coached by Adriena Toghia and Joshua Beckles
Original Spoken Word Poetry
Gabriella Otero from American Heritage Broward MS in Florida
Coached by Joele Denis, Spencer Orlowski, Ryan Levesque, and Charese Folks
Poetry
Brayden Barraza-Rodriguez from Edgewood Middle in California
Coached by Sal Tinajero and Emily Benavides
Coached by Sal Tinajero and Emily Benavides
Policy Debate
Kobe Aoki and Sohum Krishna from West Extended Learning Program – Salt Lake City in Utah
Coached by Susan M. Raymond
Coached by Susan M. Raymond
Program Oral Interpretation
Vianney Rivera-Miranda from Newton Middle School in California
Coached by Joel Anguiano
Prose
Alexa Killian from Bob Lanier Middle School in Texas
Coached by Franz Hill
Coached by Franz Hill
Public Forum Debate
Alyssa Chen and Vivian Chen from Autrey Mill Middle School in Georgia
Coached by Siobhan Connolly
Coached by Siobhan Connolly
Storytelling
Kolade Feyisitan from The Village Middle School in Texas
Coached by Heather Human Tim Martindell
Coached by Heather Human Tim Martindell
World Schools Debate
The China Tigers: Benjamin Ye, Wolfgang Fung, and Madelyn Li from Shanghai American School in China
Coached by David Peterson
National Student of the Year
2023 National Student of the Year
Jade Ismail
Comeaux High School, Louisiana
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.
