JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — The Jackson Hole High School Speech and Debate team represented well at the first in-person National Speech and Debate Tournament in three years.
The tournament hosted over 4,800 entries and saw 1,080 schools in attendance in Louisville, Kentucky. Although all of the JHHS students had some great showings in preliminary rounds, the team’s efforts were headlined by several advancing entries.
Senior and outgoing team captain Carter Worcester found exceptional success in the Senate category of Congressional Debate where he advanced to the semifinals round. Overall in the competition, only 3% of the entries at the National Tournament advance to the semifinals level. Worcester battled through 9 hours of preliminary debate and 6 hours of the semifinals rounds in the event where competitors emulate members of the United States Congress by debating pieces of legislation.
Senior and outgoing team captain Will Aepli also enjoyed a successful week at the national tournament this year. In Extemp Commentary, he advanced to the octafinal round of the event. Aepli was also honored on the nationals awards stage by being 1 of only 72 students who have qualified for the Nationals tournament all four years of high school.
Points earned at the national tournament contributed to Aepli’s 4th place ranking in the entire nation among speech and debate competitors. And to top it all off, Aepli’s congressional legislation, “A Bill to Revitalize American Agriculture,” was selected to appear on the tournament congressional debate docket, earning him special recognition and a scholarship prize.
Extemporaneous Debate has long been an event where JHHS students shine at nationals, and this year was no exception. This event allows students only 30 minutes to prepare after receiving a new topic for each round.
Junior and upcoming team captain Alexis Hernandez advanced through Round 6 of the event, showing promise for the future. Senior and outgoing team captain Lily Briggs placed 8th in her preliminary chamber of the house division of Congressional Debate, narrowly missing the break into quarterfinals by two placings.
Hernandez joined fellow junior and upcoming team captain Jheili Montiel Huerta in World Schools Debate, an event that brings together students from all across Wyoming to compete together.
Rising seniors Nicole Checker and Blanca Sartillo competed in several supplemental events ranging from Original Spoken Word Poetry to Storytelling to Expository. Sartillo showed real promise in Prose by being ranked 1st in a preliminary round.
Coach Peggy Gagnon was chosen to judge the finals of Lincoln-Douglas debate for the third year in a row.
This is the team’s 35th appearance at the National Tournament. Travel expenses for the trip were paid in large part by a donation by the Garaman Charitable Foundation in honor of Russ Garaman, one the very first debaters from Jackson to qualify for the national tournament.
Coach Londe Gagnon observed, “Our entire team represents the qualities the NSDA strives to achieve. We were very proud to see the Jackson qualifiers be exemplary ambassadors for Wyoming Speech and Debate this summer and we look forward to a great next season.”
