Speech and Debate Updates

Over the past two weekends, Speech and Debate students have competed in the National Catholic Forensics League Qualifier, the Viking Invitational, and the Modesto High YFL competition.  Many of our students won accolades and awards.  See below for specifics.  Congratulations to our students for their many accomplishments.

Two weekends ago a few students went to Sacramento to compete in the National Catholic Forensics League (NCFL) qualifier and they did not disappoint!
This specific tournament was created by the Catholic church in 1951; although not religious in nature, it was divided by regions that were separated by dioceses; so that charter schools, home schools and religious schools could all compete.  In order to be invited to the tournament, you must have a dioceses contact your team and offer the opportunity.  We were invited two years ago.
The events that are offered specialize in national events that are "lesser known" in the world of speech, so they are different and a new kind of fun! This league is one of tradition and excellence, so even attending is an honor.
This past weekend our team entered and the following students qualified to the national touranment, held in Chicago!

Vishnu Matta - 1st Humorous Interp
Anisha Yeddinpudi - 3rd National Extemp
Aashril Shazar - 1st place National Extemp
Rithanya Sivasubrahmanian - 1st in Original Oratory

Please take time to congratulate them!

Additionally, these students also recieved their second bid to the Naitonal Individual Events Tournament of Champions (NIETOC) held in Houston, TX this coming May.  That tournamentis an elite tier of competition that takes only the best students who take prestigious placings at nationally ranked tournaments.

This past weekend, two students, Aashril Shazar and Dhruva Kolikineni, competed at the Viking Invitational held at Irvington High School. These two are excellent in parliamentary debate and it shows

as they not only competed but made it to final rounds, placing 2nd overall, with a defeat in the final round.  Additionally, Aashril placed 4th speaker in the entire tournament!

Finally, we are pleased to announce that the boys have qualified to the National Parliamentary Debate League Tournament of Champions (NPDL).  In addition these students are ranked 10th in the entire nation!

The last of the local tournaments has also happened.  The league, known as the Yosemite Forensics League, has completed six tournaments, each one helping our students refine their speaking skills! This past weekend at Modesto High was no exception, it was an awesome tournament!
Please congratulate all students in competing, as we are all in the process of learning; and celebrate the following students with placing:

Congress 6th - Ameya Puranik

Humorous Interpretation (HI)
6th - Pranav Sundar
3rd - Vishnu Matta

Original Advocacy (OA)
3rd - Zainab Butt
2nd - Chinmayi Mutyala
1st - Sambhav Agarwal

International Extemporaneous (IX)
5th - Anisha Yeddanapudi
3rd - Chandra Kamaraj

Expository (INFO)
1st - Lizzie Sue

Original Oratory (OO) 4th - Brianna Do

Oratorical Interpretation (OI) 4th - Riya Jaitly

Dramatic Interpretation (DI) 2nd - Divya Raj

Perhaps the best part was that two of our students “auto qualified” to state! (Please congratulate: Astrid Mann (OO) and Zainub Butt (OA) as they are our first two qualified to state!