Speech and Debate

The last several weeks have marked a busy time for the St. Andrew's speech and debate team, concluding a stretch of four straight weekends and six of seven where portions of the team engaged in competition. Four weekends ago, the team traveled to Oxford High School to engage in the Jackson Catholic Forensic League Diocesan Qualifier, which qualifies students to attend the National Catholic Forensic League Grand Nationals to be held over Memorial Day weekend in Louisville. After all was said and done, the following students earned qualification status for NCFL Nationals in the following events:
 
Lincoln-Douglas Debate – Leo Zhang
Policy Debate – Henry Cooper/Pranav Reddy, Alice Astarlioglu/Adriana Kroeze
Declamation – Pegah Vasighi-Ansarifar
Dramatic Performance – Hannah Moore, Jasleen Rehki, Casey Young, Brooks Maier
Oral Interpretation of Literature – Lauryn Chambers

The following weekend saw the Saints take 16 students to Harvard University to compete in their contest over Presidents' Day Weekend. Competing for the Saints were seniors Ryder Hebert, Kara Pickett, and Nehemiah Thompson; juniors Lauryn Chambers, Alex Foster, Hannah Moore, Jasleen Rekhi, and Joshua Thorne; sophomores Henry Cooper, Pranav Reddy, and Pegah Vasighi-Ansarifar; and freshmen Arian Adams, Alice Astarlioglu, Adriana Kroeze, Brooks Maier, and Carter Rowe. Students advancing to the first elimination round included the team of Chambers and Pickett in Duo Interpretation, Foster in Program Oral Interpretation, and Hebert in both Extemporaneous Speaking and Informative Speaking. The team of Cooper and Reddy posted a 5-1 record in junior varsity Public Forum debate, qualifying them for elimination competition beginning in the round of 64, where they won two more debates before falling in the round of 16. Out of over 300 competitors in Original Oratory, Kara Pickett made it all the way to the final 12 before falling in the semifinal round.
 
Two weekends ago, the Magnolia District Qualifiers for the National Speech and Debate Association's National Tournament began with the District Debate Qualifier at Jackson Prep. Competing in Public Forum Debate was the team of Trace Arthur and Preston Daily, while the teams of Joy Dhar/Patten Lane and Cooper/Reddy entered in Policy Debate, with Hebert and Zhang rounding out our entry contesting Lincoln-Douglas Debate. After all rounds finished, Dhar and Lane earned qualification to NSDA Nationals in Phoenix, while Hebert was named 2nd alternate and the team of Cooper/Reddy 3rd alternate.
 
The Saints closed out the third quarter with the District Congress qualifier at Germantown High School, with Cooper competing in the Senate and Hebert and Vasighi-Ansarifar looking to qualify in the House. After the preliminary sessions, both Hebert and Vasighi-Ansarifar advanced to the final session, with Hebert qualifying outright and Vasighi-Ansarifar placing as 1st alternate. However, since one of the other qualifiers in the House has already qualified in his desired event, Vasighi-Ansarifar has also earned the opportunity to compete at NSDA Nationals, which will be held in Phoenix.
 
The Saints now take Spring Break off. The District Qualifiers for NSDA Nationals will conclude with the speech qualifiers to be held at Hattiesburg High School on April 1.
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Foundations — Grade 12 • Jackson, Mississippi
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