Speech team places 3rd at state

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — The Jackson Hole High School Speech and Debate Team placed 3rd in 4A at the Wyoming State Speech and Debate tournament, held in Riverton March 10-12.

The finish comes on the heels of the team’s very successful season. Jackson’s state squad included four seniors, seven juniors, three sophomores, and one freshman who joined over 430 entries and 34 schools at the three-day meet. The state tournament limits schools to 20 entries and Jackson advanced 12 of those entries to culminating rounds.

The team, coached by Londe and Peggy Gagnon, placed 3rd overall with Cheyenne East taking 2nd, and Cheyenne Central placing 1st.

For Jackson, senior and team captain Carter Worcester has pretty much claimed CD all season long and state competition was no exception. Worcester brought home the state championship in Congressional Debate, the largest event at the tournament with over 70 entries. He excelled in the finals round of the event in particular where he was also named best presiding officer in the session.

Senior Sarah Schweitzer, who has also excelled all season long, picked the best time to shine at state where she was crowned state champion in Extemporaneous Speaking. This event shows off a student’s ability to perform under pressure as they are assigned a current event topic and then must create a seven-minute speech with only 30 minutes of preparation.

In addition to the individual championships, the JHHS team saw a number of top finishes. Seniors and team captains Lily Briggs and William Aepli teamed up to tie for 5th place in Public Forum Debate alongside juniors Jheili Montiel Huerta and Alexis Hernandez. Worcester and Schweitzer went on to place 3rd in the event as well. They argued their way through 8 rounds of debate, examining both sides of whether or not in the United States, the benefits of increasing organic agriculture outweigh the harms.

Briggs also found great success in Congressional Debate as well where she placed 3rd. Juniors Maya Worcester and Ventura Garcia Perez advanced to the final round of the event also. In addition, Briggs, Carter Worcester, and Maya Worcester all came away with best legislation awards.

Junior Nicole Checker rose to the top of the field in her events this weekend. She placed 5th in Original Oratory and advanced to the semifinals in Dramatic Interpretation. Juniors Julieta Anaya and Blanca Sartillo advanced to semifinals in Duo Interpretation while Hernandez advanced to the semifinals in Extemporaneous Speaking.

At the tournament, Aepli was named a 2022 Wyoming High School Forensics Association Ambassador. WHSFA Ambassadors demonstrate excellence in their competitive accomplishments, their team leadership, and their larger commitment to building a meaningful Speech and Debate community. The Forensics Ambassador award is a great honor and was only awarded to six students in the state. Aepli was chosen by the association for many reasons, including how he sets an excellent example for his teammates and for competitors around the state, who are impressed with his level of commitment and integrity.

The team competes at the Wind River District tournament in Rock Springs this coming week. This is the final tournament for the Wyoming season as competitors attempt to qualify for the prestigious National Speech and Debate Association tournament to be held this June.