2026 August Rostrum - Nationals Chronicle

A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL SPEECH & DEBATE ASSOCIATION

VOLUME 100 ISSUE 5 AUGUS T 2026

Takes Center Stage The nation’s top competitors convene in Richmond, Virginia

Inside:

Exclusive Photos, Results, and More!

N AT I O N A L S C H R O N I C L E — 2 0 2 6 C O M M E M O R AT I V E E D I T I O N —

Only 4,000 out of 25,000 high schools in the United States have speech and debate programs.

OUR GOAL. OUR VISION.

Imagine a world where every school empowers youth voices.

Through the National Speech & Debate Initiative, we are doubling our nationwide impact to make that vision a reality.

OUR PLAN.

2025

2030

4,000 SCHOOLS 100,000 STUDENTS

Dedicated Coach Support

8,000 SCHOOLS 200,000 STUDENTS

LONG TERM

SPEECH AND DEBATE IN EVERY SCHOOL

National Mentorship Initiative

Expanded Professional Development

GOAL: Offer ongoing coaching support from an NSDA coach support specialist to every new head coach.

GOAL: Provide mentors who are experienced coaches to the new coaches who need them most.

GOAL: Expand professional development through a new suite of interactive online supports.

PROGRESS: We have developed the

PROGRESS: We have created

mentorship playbooks and recruited more than 100 experienced coaches who are committed to serving as mentors next year.

PROGRESS: We are in the process

caseloading system and support playbooks to support 600+ coaches next year.

700+ total new schools added in 2025-2026

of creating 21 new/improved online courses, including starting a new program, retaining and recruiting students, and running practices.

5,300+ increase in Springboard participants

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE INITIATIVE www.speechanddebate.org/NSDI

In this Issue : VOLUME 100 : ISSUE 5 : NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION

2026 NATIONAL TOURNAMENT Exclusive photos, results, and more!

Inside 2

From the Tournament Director

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2026 Tournament Sponsors

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Nats26 in Photos

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High School Honors and Awards

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Circle of Champions

40

Middle School Honors and Awards

46

Coach and Community Honors and Awards

50

School Awards

Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ speechanddebate

OUR MISSION Rostrum shares best practices, resources, and opportunities that connect, support, and inspire a diverse community of educators committed to empowering students through speech and debate.

Share with us on Instagram @speechanddebate Follow us on X @speechanddebate Follow us on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/nationalspeech-and-debate-association Follow us on TikTok @nsda.speechanddebate

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 1

From the Tournament Director This summer, the National Speech & Debate Tournament brought thousands of students, coaches, judges, and supporters to Richmond, Virginia, for a remarkable celebration of speech and debate.

Throughout the week, competitors demonstrated the curiosity, creativity, and conviction that define our community. Through championship debates and performances, they showcased how speech and debate equips young people not only to succeed in competition, but to lead in their schools, communities, and future careers.

During the National Awards Assembly, Spanx and Sneex founder Sara Blakely accepted the NSDA Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award, stating: “Speech and debate showed up for me throughout my entire Spanx journey.” She encouraged students to embrace failure, resilience, and authenticity as they pursue their own goals.

As our nation commemorated its 250th anniversary, Richmond provided a fitting backdrop for celebrating civic dialogue and the enduring power of student voices.

In a city shaped by history, the National Tournament reminded us that the next generation of influential voices is already emerging.

Whether Richmond was your first National Tournament as a coach or your final one as a competitor, we hope your experience inspired new friendships, lasting memories, and renewed confidence in the power of speech and debate. To the coaches who continue this work and the students who carry these lessons into the next chapter of their lives, thank you for advancing our mission. We look forward to welcoming the speech and debate community to Phoenix, Arizona, in 2027 for another outstanding National Tournament.

Sincerely,

6600 Westown Parkway Suite 270, West Des Moines, IA 50266 | Phone (920) 748-6206

Vicki Joss, Managing Editor Annie Reisener, Associate Editor Emily Bratton, Graphic Designer

Newsstand Price $9.99 per issue Member Subscription Price $24.99 for one year (5 issues) Non-Member Subscription Price $34.99 for one year (5 issues)

Rostrum (ISSN 1073-5526), Copyright © 2026 by the National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA), is published five times per year (Sept., Nov., Feb., Apr., and Aug.) by the NSDA, 6600 Westown Parkway Ste 270, West Des Moines, IA 50266. Business and Editorial Offices: NSDA, 6600 Westown Parkway Ste 270, West Des Moines, IA 50266. Accounting and Circulation Offices: NSDA, 6600 Westown Parkway Ste 270, West Des Moines, IA 50266. Call (920) 748-6206 to subscribe. Periodicals postage is paid at Des Moines, IA 50318, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Rostrum, c/o NSDA, 6600 Westown Parkway Ste 270, West Des Moines, IA 50266.

Rostrum provides a forum for the speech and debate community. The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and not necessarily the opinions of the NSDA, its officers, or its members. The National Speech & Debate Association does not guarantee advertised products and services unless sold directly by the NSDA.

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David Huston Vice President Texas Jamelle M. Brown Kansas Sara Gibson Washington, D.C. Adam J. Jacobi Wisconsin Erez Kalir California Anoop Mishra Treasurer Alabama

Wendy Orthman California

Rostrum A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL SPEECH & DEBATE ASSOCIATION

Amy Seidelman, Editor

Byron R. Arthur President Louisiana

Renee C. Motter Colorado

J. Scott Wunn Executive Director

J. Scott Wunn, Publisher

Board of Directors

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

Esther Oyetunji Florida James W. Rye III Alabama Josh Swartsel Washington, D.C. Holly Williams Secretary, Administrative Rep Arizona

To learn more about the Board and for contact information, please visit www.speechanddebate.org/ meet-the-team.

THA NK YO U TO OUR SPONSORS Our generous sponsors make the National Tournament possible!

Thank you for showing your commitment to speech and debate activities.

P L AT I N U M L E V E L

GOLD LEVEL

S I LV E R L E V E L

HERNDON FOUNDATION

FRED MAYTAG FAMILY FOUNDATION

DONUS AND LOVILA ROBERTS

R U BY L E V E L

SAPPHIRE LEVEL

RICHARD BITNER

JAMES M. COPELAND

TOM AND VICKI ROLLINS

BOB AND SALLI STOCKTON

JOE AND PAM WYCOFF

EMERALD LEVEL

PHYLLIS FLORY BARTON FUND THE RICHARD DAVOUD DONCHIAN FOUNDATION DR. MIKE EDMONDS A. C. ELEY FUND

CARMENDALE FERNANDES FUND

HAROLD C. KELLER FUND

SANDRA SILVERS FUND

THE JEPS FOUNDATION

MCCARTHEY FAMILY FOUNDATION

RICHARD B. SODIKOW FUND

VICTOR JIH

HARLAND B. MITCHELL FUND

WILLIAM WOODS TATE, JR., FUND

ADAM AND ASHLEY JOHNSON

LANNY D. AND B. J. NAEGELIN FUND

TINA WANG FUND

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 3

NATS26 IN PHOTOS Registration and Expo The Greater Richmond Convention Center hosted teams from around the globe for tournament registration and the expo. Throughout the day, Executive Director J. Scott Wunn greeted attendees wearing a signature oversized cap and a grin.

Relive the fun and excitement of Nats26 registration day! tinyurl.com/Nats26Reg

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ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

District Leadership Luncheon and Awards Ceremony At the 2026 District Leadership Luncheon and Awards Ceremony, Renee C. Motter from the Colorado Grande District received the Ralph E. Carey Award for Distinguished Career Service. Carolyn Cook from the East Kansas District was awarded Chair of the Year. Martene Campbell from the Arkansas District was recognized for Best Chair Communications. Jeffrey Miller from the Georgia Southern Peach District was named Best New Chair. Other district chairs from across the country received Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards for their outstanding leadership.

Members of the Student Leadership Council, Brianna Zhang and Daphne Kalir-Starr, spoke to district leaders.

Ralph E. Carey Award

Chair of the Year

Best Chair Communications

Renee C. Motter Colorado Grande District

Carolyn Cook East Kansas District

Martene Campbell Arkansas District

Best New Chair Jeffrey Miller Georgia Southern Peach District

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 5

NSDA Student Party This year’s student party featured food trucks, a dance party, and a chance to explore the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. The event was held in conjunction with high school supplemental-only and middle school registration and included opportunities to chat with expo vendors. At the NSDA Store, attendees lined up to snag Ginny, the Nats26 eagle plushie, named in honor of Virginia.

Nats26 friends are the best friends. tinyurl.com/Nats26Friends

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ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

Hall of Fame and Diamond Coaches Recognition The NSDA held a special banquet Sunday evening recognizing Hall of Fame members and new third and higher Diamond Award recipients at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. Seven new members were inducted into the NSDA Hall of Fame, including James (Jim) Fedje of Minnesota, Matthew (Matt) Good of Missouri, Truman Humbert of South Carolina, David Matley of California, Barbara Miller of North Carolina, Joniel (Jo) Russell of Kansas, Russell (Russ) Tidwell of Kansas, and David Watkins of Missouri.

Joniel (Jo) Russell

Truman Humbert

James (Jim) Fedje

Russell (Russ) Tidwell

David Matley

Matthew (Matt) Good

David Watkins

Meet the inductees of the Hall of Fame class of 2026. tinyurl.com/NATS26HOF

Barbara Miller

For more photos and bios of Hall of Fame members, visit: www.speechanddebate.org/ hall-of-fame ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 7

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ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

Speech Events High school students competed in 15 different speech categories, showcasing their talents and vying for prestigious awards and scholarships. Students in interpretation events performed cuttings from different literary genres, exploring thought-provoking themes, character development, dramatic and comedic timing, and more. Meanwhile, students in public address events wrote original speeches, either in advance or with limited preparation, that answered a question, shared a belief, persuaded an audience, or educated the listener on a wide variety of topics.

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 9

Debate Events High school competitors also participated in several different styles of debate during the tournament, including Big Questions, Lincoln-Douglas, Policy, Public Forum, and World Schools, with more than 1,000 students competing in Extemporaneous Debate later in the week. Each debate event challenged students to persuasively argue for and against significant and relevant topics.

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ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

Nats26 would not have been possible without support from the Richmond Forum—the nation’s largest nonprofit speaker series, which brings the world’s most influential voices to the stage in Richmond. Their speech and debate initiative has launched and supported teams across Richmond since 2018. Learn more! www.richmondforum.org/speech-and-debate-initiative

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 11

Congressional Debate A total of 668 high school debaters started off the week seeking championships in the House and the Senate. During their respective final sessions, senators debated the end of petroleum subsidization, the National Security Powers Oversight Act (NSPOA), and mandatory criminal sentencing limits, while representatives discussed stopping the sale of arms to the United Arab Emirates, reclassifying predictive betting markets as online gambling, and the use of generative artificial intelligence in high school learning settings.

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ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

Photo by Rosa Pineda

Speech and debate alum and Virginia Senator Tim Kaine stopped by to swear in our student representatives and senators before they took the floor. Along the way, he shared advice with the next generation of leaders. Check out these highlights! tinyurl.com/Nats26Kaine

Congressional Debate Opening Keynote Speaker Tim Kaine U.S. Senator Virginia

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 13

Middle School National Tournament This year, 945 students from more than 200 schools and six different countries attended the Middle School National Tournament. Middle school students competed in 18 different speech and debate categories, advancing from early preliminary rounds to the final round stage.

Every national champion was once attending their first Nationals. tinyurl.com/Nats26MS

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Be inspired by our 2026 Student of the Year finalists as they speak about when they knew they belonged in speech and debate. tinyurl.com/Nats26Belong

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ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

Competition Final Rounds The 2026 National Speech & Debate Tournament was one for the history books! Young leaders from around the world got to perform, debate, and be seen at the highest levels. Final rounds took place at both the Greater Richmond Convention Center and the Altria Theater in downtown Richmond, providing an incredible platform for amplifying youth voices.

Relive your favorite performances on the official NSDA livestream archive: www.speechanddebate.org/ nationals-2026-livestream-archive L I V E S T R E A M P R E S E N T E D BY T H E I N S T I T U T E F O R S P E E C H A N D D E B AT E

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 17

Patrick Henry Jolly, fifth great-grandson of Patrick Henry, shared a special performance of his namesake’s most famous speech: tinyurl.com/ Nats26PatrickHenry

Patrick Henry Jolly, Red Hill Patrick Henry Memorial Foundation

J. Scott Wunn, Executive Director

David Begnaud, Tournament Emcee

NSDA member Dajeun Dickerson sings the National Anthem with drum and fife.

Byron R. Arthur, NSDA Board President

Return to the excitement of the Awards Assembly stage with the official NSDA livestream archive: www.speechanddebate.org/ nationals-2026-livestream-archive

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ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Sara Blakely

Awards and Recognition Friday’s National Awards Assembly is often likened to the “Oscars” of our activity, which was once again emceed by CBS journalist and storyteller David Begnaud. The NSDA proudly recognized deserving coaches, alumni, and supporters and crowned this year’s high school national champions as part of the Karen Miyakado Hawaiian Lei Tradition.

Coach Reggie Chapman, sings Lift Every Voice and Sing ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 19

2026 HONORS & AWARDS

2026 Four-Time Competitors

The Four-Time Competitor Awards are presented to high school students who have attended four National Tournaments.

At the 2026 National Tournament, 1,664 students qualified for the second time, 690 students qualified for the third time, and 165 students qualified for the fourth time, attending Nationals each year they were in high school.

Rhys Adams Risiqat Adeniji Annika Adiga Arnav Agarwal Neil Alappatt Ryle Alvarez Cara Anderson Adud Arop Solomon Auerbach Alex Bae Lavanya Bansal Sawyer Beach Christa Belev Nina Bhattacharjee Nicole Blanco Molly Block Claire Bloomingdale Hayden Brillhart Cody Brown Lily Brozovich Clue Buchanan Abigail Buckhalter Oscar Bien Buenaflor Olivia Burch Rehan Buvvaji Sofia Bye Micah Byron-Smarra Kobe Cabello Haeden Carter Jasper Carter Aiden Casarez Ziyi Chen Jacoby Chisholm Winston Chou Noah Clapper Nathan Cloer Matthew Collins Molly Cooper Autumn Coovert Azeneth Corrales Evelyn Cummings Rohan Dash

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Milton Academy, MA Science Park HS (Newark Science), NJ Staley HS, MO Lincoln East HS, NE Bellarmine College Prep, CA Orosi HS, CA Clear Creek HS, TX O’Gorman HS, SD Granite Bay HS, CA Flintridge Preparatory School, CA Modesto HS, CA Saint Mary’s Hall, TX Natick HS, MA Neenah HS, WI Episcopal HS - Bellaire, TX Harvard-Westlake School, CA Millard North HS, NE Amarillo HS, TX Jenks HS, OK Parkview HS, MO Willamette HS, OR Washburn Rural HS, KS Mount Carmel School, MP Plymouth HS, IN Plano West Sr. HS, TX Bakersfield HS, CA Waring School, MA Seminole HS, TX Skyview HS, ID Salina South HS, KS Harlingen HS, TX Ridge HS, NJ Bob Jones Academy, SC San Marino HS, CA Madison Central HS, MS Eastside HS, SC Episcopal Collegiate School, AR Fullerton Joint Union HS, CA Gig Harbor HS, WA Harlingen HS, TX St. Luke’s Episcopal School, AL Pine View School, FL

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

Washington HS, SD Alli DeVillier Clear Falls HS, TX Taya Eisenga Siouxland Christian School, IA Karly Elliott Cabot HS, AR Artem Feno Riverside HS, SC Will Farris Mullen HS, CO Kit Freeman Colorado Academy, CO Sam Funderburk Bozeman HS, MT Anthony Gabrielli Chaminade HS, NY Alexander Gamble Dardanelle HS, AR Ronav Ganesh Lincoln East HS, NE Alayna Garrett Air Academy HS, CO Caden Garrison Mullen HS, CO Brooke Gemechu Hawken School, OH Isaac Gerstner Auburn Senior HS, WA Colton Giannios Olathe East HS, KS Ajay Gundanna A & M Consolidated HS, TX George Matthew Gutierrez Harlingen HS South, TX Selah Gutierrez Chiawana HS, WA Kristen Harper Natrona County HS, WY Carter Hass Valley City HS, ND Carrington Haynes Garland HS, TX Justin Hazlett W. F. West HS, WA Lucinda Hendrickson Shawnee Mission East HS, KS Abigail Henson Centerville HS, TX Campbell Hight Washburn Rural HS, KS Diego Holguin George Washington HS, CO Ja’Nayah Howard David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy, LA Vina Hung Taipei American School, TW Liam Ianiro Dripping Springs HS, TX Vibhav Javali Crescent Valley HS, OR Ryon Jemail American Heritage Schools, Palm Beach Campus, FL Coby Jones Lindale HS, TX Victor Kang Pacific American School, CA Enan Khan American Heritage Schools, Palm Beach Campus, FL Tristan Khoshyomn Greenwood Laboratory School, MO Kylon Kincade Lindale HS, TX Eliza King Shawnee Mission East HS, KS Adin Kobrin-Brody George Washington HS, CO Clara Kueny St. James Academy, KS Kayal Kumaravel Dougherty Valley HS, CA Sanna Kunnath Millard North HS, NE Damine Deen

Ashraf Kuzbari Harrison Lane Thanish Lankella Meredith Leo Sasha-Kay Lindo Hadley Lord Krishna Mano Sean Mansoor Andie Martin Noah Martinez Kamdyn Mathews Adalyn Maxwell Danny McCune Margaret McCurdy Esme Medley Thomas Meltzer Zara Mendoza Charline Monnier Victoria Mosmeyer Garvey Mueller Lawand Muhsen David Munson Isabella Murillo Manvitha Narasimhan Amanat Narwal Toby Nguyen Victoria Nungaray-Arias Grayson Oakleaf Abbilene Odell Mofoluwa Olagadeyo Kipling Olson Nancy Orogun Mateo Pacheco Vedant Parikh Kajal Parmar Jose Pinedo De La Torre Jaiden Plahn Saisha Puri Rishi Raichur Bella Reif Maelin Rennemeyer Henry Riley Alec Rosa Dawn Rosas

Plano East Senior HS, TX Jefferson City HS, MO Vel Phillips Memorial HS, WI Lakeville North HS, MN American Heritage School - Broward, FL North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, NC Grand Rapids City HS, MI Andover HS, KS William Howard Taft HS, CA James Logan HS, CA Caddo Mills HS, TX Big Sky HS, MT Siouxland Christian School, IA Atlantic HS, IA St. Mary’s HS, OR Bozeman HS, MT American Heritage Schools, Palm Beach Campus, FL Riverside HS, SC Holy Trinity Catholic HS, TX O’Gorman HS, SD Auburn Senior HS, WA Harrisburg HS, SD Riverside HS, SC Bentonville HS, AR Mount Vernon HS, WA Westmoore HS, OK RISE HS, CO East Mountain HS, NM Cheyenne Central HS, WY Science Park HS (Newark Science), NJ Fargo South HS, ND Avon HS, IN George Washington HS, CO Dougherty Valley HS, CA Cary Academy, NC Salina South HS, KS Robbinsdale Cooper HS, MN Syosset HS, NY East Ridge HS, MN Brandon Valley HS, SD Resurrection Christian School, CO Vel Phillips Memorial HS, WI Parkview HS, MO Mount Vernon HS, WA

Oscar Rubio-Flores Dylan Rucinski Keaton Rupp Victor Nash Santos Kira Schwimmer Rowan Seipp Saanvi Seth Armaan Sethi Austin She Jade Sheppard Roshan Shivnani Wali Sidiqyar Evan Simmons Sashwath Sivaraman Macon Smith Draykan Spackman Luke Speller Sophia Stambuk Alice Thomas Enyonam Toklo Lexie Toshav Samantha Tran Hudson Turman Violet Tran Naisha Vatsya Ella Venzke Antonia Vlad Jacob Wang Elena Weng Cooper White Aquinnah Wiblemo Mason Wittie Lin Wolf Fiona Wu Alice Yi Bethany Yin Faith Young Brianna Zhang Robert Zhang

Wildwood HS, FL Grain Valley High, MO Andover HS, KS Mount Carmel School, MP Thunderbird HS, AZ A & M Consolidated HS, TX Eagan HS, MN The Potomac School, VA Ardrey Kell HS, NC Rigby HS, ID Shepton HS, TX Brentwood HS, TN Resurrection Christian School, CO Riverside HS, SC Bob Jones Academy, SC Elko HS, NV Clear Falls HS, TX George Washington HS, CO Lake Oswego HS, OR Riverside HS, SC Isidore Newman School, LA Bellaire HS, TX Tascosa HS, TX La Salle College Preparatory, CA CR North HS, PA Stillwater Area HS, MN Bob Jones Academy, SC Buford HS, GA West Fargo Sheyenne HS, ND Bozeman HS, MT Riverton HS, WY Lubbock HS, TX Los Alamos HS, NM Claremont HS, CA Lakeville South HS, MN Mountain Brook HS, AL V. Sue Cleveland HS, NM Portage Central HS, MI Elkins HS, TX

For tournament history and additional results, visit: www.speechanddebate.org/ nationals-history

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 21

2026 HONORS & AWARDS

W I L L I A M WO O D S TAT E , J R . ,

National Student of the Year Five finalists participated in an interview process with the national panel of judges who selected the 2026 William Woods Tate, Jr., National Student of the Year, one of the most honorable and renowned student awards presented by the National Speech & Debate Association.

Izayah Christopher, representing the Eastern Missouri District, was named the William Woods Tate, Jr., National Student of the Year and was awarded a $3,500 scholarship from Richard Bitner in memory of Bob Stockton.

Izayah will represent the NSDA throughout the 2026-2027 academic year.

The first runner-up receiving a $2,000 scholarship was Matthew Collins,

2026 William Woods Tate, Jr., National Student of the Year

representing the Arkansas District, and the second runner-up, receiving

Izayah Christopher Eastern Missouri District

a $1,500 scholarship was Amna George, representing the Northern South Dakota District. The third-runners up, each receiving a $1,000 scholarship, included Alessia Carrales, representing the West Kansas District and Brooks Heiser, representing the Rushmore District.

(below, left to right) Matthew Collins, Alessia Carrales, Izayah Christopher, Brooks Heiser, and Amna George

Meet the 2026 National Student of the Year Finalists! https://youtu.be/yjSk0k_zLD8

“WAIT A MINUTE!” WITH WUNN Throughout this issue, Executive Director Scott Wunn has scattered facts about this year’s impressive finalists. We applaud all the historic achievements made this year!

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ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

FIND THE “POP-UP” BOXES FOR FACTS AND LINKS!

National Tournament Supporters

REPEAT FINALISTS! These 16 exceptional performers are marked with a star () on the following pages.

William Waddell,

Ì ANTHONY BABU

NSDA Virginia District Chair, Cosby High School

Host Steering Committee (left to right), committee chair indicated with a 

 Sandra Wheeler, Director of Student Programs, The Richmond Forum

Lucretia Anderson,

Danny Bonifas,

Assistant Director of Student Programs, The Richmond Forum

Director of Sports Events, Richmond Region Tourism

2026 International Extemp (2025: IX, 2024: IX)

Ì AVA DINAPOLI 2026 Commentary (2025: IMP)

Ì GAVIN FOUST 2026 Program Oral Interp (2025: POE)

Ì ANUSHKA GUPTA 2026 International Extemp (2025: IX)

Ì AVI GUPTA 2026 Duo Interp (2025: DUO)

Ì GEORGE MATTHEW GUTIERREZ 2026 Program Oral Interp (2025: DUO, 2024: HI, 2023: STO)

Ì ALLISON HERNANDEZ

2026 Tournament Event Chairs Jonathan Alston

Dr. Megan Hagaman

Alma Nicholson

Ameena Amdahl-Mason

Meg Howell-Haymaker

Marc Rischitelli

Jo Ball

Denise Johnson

Kimberly Bayan-Berlat

Kim Lenger

Kevin Berlat

Greg Malis

Hanh Do

Steve Meadows

Jeff Stutzman

Matt Good

Gail Nicholas

Chase Williams

2026 U.S. Extemp (2025: USX)

Ì NOAH MARTINEZ

Mark Ferguson

Production Supervisor

2026 Congress - House (2025: HSE)

Ì LEXIE TOSHAV

Seth Brown Andrew David Cory

Jackson Nash Hill Jacob Leo Marino

National Tournament Photography Wynter Byrd

Jeff Bell

Michael Simon

Birmingham, Alabama

Angola, Indiana jeffbellphoto.com

Richmond, Virginia michaelsimonphoto.com

Andrea Kravitz

Sarah Brazier

Richmond Photobooth www.804photobooth.com

Brooklyn, New York

2026 Humorous Interp (2025: HI, 2024: HI)

Ì CHAITH MITTAL

Yatesh Singh

National Tournament Video Team

2026 Program Oral Interp (2025: OSW)

Ì DAPHNE KALIR-STARR

Julie Roos

additional photography by

2026 Commentary (2025: COM)

Ì CALEB WALDRON 2026 Big Questions Debate (2025: BQ)

Ì RYAN XU 2026 International Extemp (2025: IX)

Ì LEON YANG 2026 Humorous Interp (2025: HI)

2026 National Tournament Marquee Sponsor Stephen Otero Executive Vice President and Chief Audit Officer

Ì JORDAN YAO 2026 Policy Debate (2025: CX)

Ì ISRA YASIN 2026 Original Oratory (2025: OO)

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 23

2026 HONORS & AWARDS

R I C H A R D B . S O D I KOW

Policy Debate

presented by The Friends of The Christian Science Monitor

Policy Debate Top Speakers presented by the NSDA

D O N U S D. RO B E RT S

Public Forum Debate presented by the NSDA

P H Y L L I S F LO RY B A RTO N T RO P H Y 1st Place – Nikolas Lipscomb Blue Valley North High School, Kansas Coached by Brian Box, Claire Ain, Carson Bath, Max McCarty, and Iman Suleman 2nd Place – Artie Kincaid Shawnee Mission South High School, Kansas Coached by Carolyn Cook, Jackson Hoffmann, and Azja Butler 3rd Place – Tristin Nguyen Eagan High School, Minnesota

Champions – Jordan Yao  and Dylan Liu Taipei American School, Taiwan Coached by Chase Williams, Lawrence Zhou, Jiyoon Park, Clara Conry, Graham Revare, Jimin Park, and Micah Cook TWO-TIME TRIUMPH! Jordan Yao has won Policy Debate two years in a row!

2nd Place – Tristin Nguyen and Josiah Schaffhausen Eagan High School, Minnesota Coached by Christopher McDonald, Robert Groven, Greg Quick, Reece Peters, Lizzy Sabel, and Claudia Liverseed 3rd Place – Kevin Lu and Aidan Okyar Bellarmine College Prep, California Coached by Evan Alexis, Surya Krishnapillai, Arnav Aggarwal, and Derek Qian 4th Place – Andrew Blaise and Braden Conte Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep, California Coached by Tristan Ignacio-Bato 5th Place – Haley Fiske and Jaden Yoon Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep, California Coached by Tristan Ignacio-Bato 6th Place – Erin Jia and Adrienne Wang Memorial High School, Texas Coached by Harry Yu 24

Coached by Christopher McDonald, Robert Groven, Greg Quick, Reece Peters, Lizzy Sabel, and Claudia Liverseed

Champions – Nirmal Melam and Parker Magill Theodore Roosevelt High School, Iowa Coached by Parker Klyn

4th Place – Risiqat Adeniji Newark Science, New Jersey Coached by Jonathan Alston and Temitope Ogundare 5th Place – Alvi Ahnaf Rock Bridge High School, Missouri Coached by Danielle Johnson, Laura Loudenslager, Kathryn Hammock, Ryan Tolbert, and Lou Kraxberger 6th Place – Mofoluwa Olagadeyo Newark Science, New Jersey Coached by Jonathan Alston and Temitope Ogundare

Harland B. Mitchell Trophy The national champion Policy Debate team also receives the Harland B. Mitchell Trophy, named after the Association’s legendary debate coach.

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

2nd Place – Natalie Chou and Liam Marassa Brentwood High School, Tennessee Coached by Harriet Medlin 3rd Place – Aayush Appan and Yang Bai Plano West Sr. High School, Texas Coached by David Huston, Reggie Chapman, and Meghan Clark 4th Place – Vivian Shi and Arhaan Lalani Vestavia Hills High School, Alabama Coached by Nate Conoly 5th Place – Aly Lay and Spencer Carman Arlington High School, Massachusetts Coached by Dr. Donald H. Broussard 6th Place – Vishnu Rao and Krishay Madhav Leland High School, California Coached by Stacy Fernandez

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

Lincoln-Douglas Top Speakers

Big Questions Debate

presented by Truman State University

presented in memory of Tina Wang

presented by the NSDA

DA L E L A U D E R M CC A L L T RO P H Y 1st Place – Emma Lewis Central High School Springfield, Missouri Coached by Karissa Talty

2nd Place – Param Raval Archbishop Mitty High School, California Coached by Mark Woodhead 3rd Place – Brooke Gemechu Hawken School, Ohio Coached by Eva Lamberson 4th Place – Riley Powell

Champion – Brooke Gemechu Hawken School, Ohio

Cary Academy, North Carolina

Coached by Eva Lamberson

Coached by RJ Pellicciotta, Paxton

Champion – Caleb Waldron  Loveland High School, Colorado Coached by Deena Pettit and Caitlin Tapia

Sheppard, Willie Warren, and Caleb Horowitz 2nd Place – Naveen Somani Cupertino High School, California Coached by Chris Wardner 3rd Place – Claire Zhong Cary Academy, North Carolina Coached by RJ Pellicciotta, Paxton Sheppard, Willie Warren, and Caleb Horowitz 4th Place – Brogan Jones Norman High School, Oklahoma

DEBATE DYNASTY! Caleb Waldron returns as a back-to-back Big Questions Debate champ!

5th Place – Elliott Barringer Bellarmine College Prep, California Coached by Matt DeLateur 6th Place – Alice Yi

2nd Place – Vanessa Xu Valley Christian High School, California Coached by Julian Crown Semifinalist – Grace Voudris

Lakeville South High School, Minnesota

Kenston High School, Ohio

Coached by Madelyn Cook, Elliot

Coached by Stephan Voudris and Shannon Carlson

Harvanko, and Kay Krogstad Lincoln-Douglas Debate scholarships are presented

by Victor Jih

Coached by Hannah Dedmon

Semifinalist – Sanyukta Ravishankar Saratoga High School, California Coached by Jenny Cook, Steve Clemmons, and Chris Wardner

5th Place – Elliott Barringer Bellarmine College Prep, California Coached by Matt DeLateur

Hickman High School, Missouri

LOOK BACK AT A MONUMENTAL WEEK OF COMPETITION! Watch the 2026 Awards Hype video!

Coached by Danielle Johnson, Lou

tinyurl.com/Nats26Hype

6th Place – Caleb Humfeld

Kraxberger, and Avery Johnson ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 25

2026 Circle of Champions

NATS26 PHOTOS Check out additional photos from the 2026 National Tournament: tinyurl.com/ Nats26PhotoGallery 26

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

THE CIRCLE OF CHAMPIONS REPRESENTS THE BEST OF THE BEST IN COMPETITIVE SPEECH AND DEBATE. Congratulations to our 2026 national champions!



The National Speech & Debate Tournament marks the capstone of speech and debate activities for thousands of members across the country. To attend, students must qualify in a main event at one of the NSDA’s 112 district tournaments, through one of 11 international qualifying programs, or be selected by their school to compete in supplemental events. The student competitors represent the best and brightest young people across the United States and the globe.

The National Debate & Speech Tournament has been held across the country since 1931, and today is the largest academic competition in the world. This year, 6,253 high school students competed in a weeklong competition to determine the most prestigious title in high school academics: national champion.

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 27

2026 HONORS & AWARDS SCHOOL SUCCESS! American Heritage Schools, Palm Beach Campus has back-to-back Top Presiding Officers in the House!

Congressional Debate – House

Congressional Debate – Senate

presented by the NSDA

presented by the NSDA Top Presiding Officer (House) Enan Khan American Heritage Schools, Palm Beach Campus, FL Coached by Bo Lint, Emily Stegawski, Sasha DiMare, and Jordan Melamed

Leadership Bowl (House) Champion – Anadita Upadhyaya Monte Vista High School, California

Chaith Mittal  Archbishop Mitty High School, CA

Champion – Akram Younis Suncoast Comm High School, Florida

Coached by David Matley

Coached by Mark Woodhead

Coached by Traci Lowe

2nd Place – Alysia Aldea

2nd Place – Daniel Yoffe Horizon High School, Florida Coached by Stan Banks

Medina Senior High School, Ohio Coached by Tiffany Nicol 3rd Place – Chaith Mittal  Archbishop Mitty High School, California Coached by Mark Woodhead 4th Place – Enan Khan American Heritage Schools, Palm Beach

Top Presiding Officer (Senate) Daniel Yoffe Horizon High School, FL Coached by Stan Banks

Campus, Florida Coached by Bo Lint, Emily Stegawski, Sasha DiMare, and Jordan Melamed

Los Osos High School, California

6th Place – Vedant Hathalia

28

4th Place – Bryan Dominguez American Heritage Schools, Palm Beach Campus, Florida Coached by Bo Lint, Emily Stegawski, Sasha DiMare, and Jordan Melamed 5th Place – Sebastian Asady American Heritage Schools, Palm Beach Campus, Florida Coached by Bo Lint, Emily Stegawski, Sasha DiMare, and Jordan Melamed

5th Place – Hayley Fung Coached by Erik Pielstick

3rd Place – Armaan Sethi The Potomac School, Virginia Coached by Harry Strong and Ryan Levesque

Leadership Bowl (Senate)

Bellarmine College Prep, California

Armaan Sethi The Potomac School, VA

Coached by Dr. DeeDee Sullivan

Coached by Harry Strong and Ryan Levesque

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

6th Place – Ishaan Quazi Seven Lakes High School, Texas Coached by Calen Cabler and Tuyen Le

C A R M E N DA L E F E R N A N D E S

A. C. ELEY

United States Extemporaneous Speaking

International Extemporaneous Speaking

presented by the NSDA

Council on Foreign Relations

Champion – Daphne Kalir-Starr  College Prep, California Coached by Lexy Green, Kay Rollins, Teddy Gercken, and Erez Kalir

2nd Place – Natalia San Lucas Gabrielino High School, California Coached by Derek Yuill, Eric Chen, and Ethan Lam 3rd Place – Roshan Shivnani Plano West Sr. High School, Texas Coached by Meghan Clark, Reggie Chapman, and David Huston 4th Place – Sylvia Oglesbay Edina High School, Minnesota Yatesh Singh, Liz Vieira Singh, Joe Schmitt, Makayla Hillukka, Tanner Jones, and Joseph Annareddy 5th Place – Rehan Buvvaji Plano West Sr. High School, Texas Coached by Meghan Clark, Reggie Chapman, and David Huston 6th Place – Nathan Cook Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, Ohio Coached by Nick Nussen and Tom Paisley

presented by the

Champion – Zoe Becker School Without Walls High School, District of Columbia

Informative Speaking presented by the NSDA

Champion – Coby Jones Lindale High School, Texas Coached by JP Fugler and Rory McKenzie

Coached by Judy Becker

2nd Place – Ryan Xu  Plano West Sr. High School, Texas Coached by Meghan Clark, Reggie Chapman, and David Huston 3rd Place – Anthony Babu  Concord Carlisle High School, Massachusetts Coached by Shannon Babu 4th Place – Eric Qian Plano West Sr. High School, Texas Coached by Meghan Clark, Reggie Chapman, Katherine Lee, and David Huston 5th Place – Anushka Gupta  Westwood High School, Texas Coached by Dominic Henderson 6th Place – Carter Mak Gabrielino High School, California Coached by Derek Yuill, Eric Chen, and Ethan Lam

2nd Place – Jeffrey Bao Bellarmine College Prep, California Coached by Gavin Griffin 3rd Place – Lindsay Brasner American Heritage School - Broward, Florida Coached by Natalie Sintek and Joele Denis 4th Place – Claire Rooney Lincoln East High School, Nebraska Coached by Nick Herink and Elle Barts 5th Place – Anisah Somerville Apple Valley High School, Minnesota Coached by Tzitel Voss and Georgia Schmitt 6th Place – Maab Mohamed Ali Apple Valley High School, Minnesota Coached by Tzitel Voss, Pam Wycoff, and Georgia Schmitt

The six finalists in INFO are recipients of the Making the Stage scholarship provided by Joe and Pam Wycoff in honor of Pam’s sister, Pat Krueger.

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 29

2026 HONORS & AWARDS L A N N Y D. A N D B . J .

NAEGELIN

D R . TO M M I E L I N D S E Y, J R .

presented by the NSDA

presented by Simpson College

presented by Colorado College

Champion – Leon Yang  Fairmont High School, Minnesota

Champion – Zach Johannes Lincoln East High School, Nebraska

Coached by Fairmont Coaches: Kathleen Walker, Miles Duffey, and Erik Walker

Coached by Nick Herink, Elle Barts, and Max Apel

Champion – Avi Gupta  and Kostantina Bala Archbishop Mitty High School, California

Humorous Interpretation

CROWNED COACH! Your HI champion and bowl winner is coached by the 2026 High School Coach of the Year, Kathleen Walker!

2nd Place – Will Whitlock

2nd Place – Tessa Fulcher Myers Park High School, North Carolina

Choctaw High School, Oklahoma

Coached by Lynne Coyne and Radi Muhammad

Coached by Maryjane Burton, Alyx Sabina, Sierra Posada, and Billy Elles

3rd Place – Jamal Kirton

3rd Place – Noah Martinez  James Logan High School, California Coached by Justin Kurup and Dr. Tommie Lindsey, Jr.

Newark Central High School, New Jersey Coached by Dennis K. Philbert, Isiah Briggs, Chidera Okeke, and Oluwadamilare Odukomaiya 4th Place – Amelia Ugas

4th Place – Solanite Ketema

Apple Valley High School, Minnesota

Rosemount Sr. High School, Minnesota

Coached by Uzo Ngwu

Coached by Brandon Fisher

5th Place – Ethan Phan

5th Place – Brady White

Lincoln East High School, Nebraska

Portage Central High School, Michigan

Coached by Nick Herink, Elle Barts, and Max Apel

Coached by Tyler Baas-Peterson

30

Dramatic Interpretation

6th Place – Dylan Ngo

6th Place – Bianca Rios

James Logan High School, California

Harlingen High School South, Texas

Coached by Justin Kurup and Dr. Tommie Lindsey, Jr.

Coached by Eddy Cavazos and Martin Vela

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

Duo Interpretation

Coached by Karen Cruz, John Harris, and BJ Cruz 2nd Place – Davis Marino and Pepper Sychitkokhong Grapevine High School, Texas Coached by Demarcus Powell 3rd Place – Chloe Lee and Natalie Kim Archbishop Mitty High School, California Coached by Karen Cruz, John Harris, and BJ Cruz 4th Place – Parker Kempf and Donovan Burke Catholic Memorial School, Massachusetts Coached by Ryan Julian 5th Place – Anika Tandon and Aviv Yereslove Leland High School, California Coached by Gay Brasher, Stacy Fernandez, and Priya Garcia 6th Place – Alisha Dorado and Jocelyn Coto Harlingen High School, Texas Coached by Christopher Esparza, Gabriella Garza, Carmela Benavides, and Alejandro Torres

Program Oral Interpretation presented by Advantage Communications

J O E A N D PA M W YCO F F

Original Oratory presented by the Red Hill Patrick Henry Memorial Foundation Auxiliary

THE EAGLE HAS LANDED! Ginny was excited to welcome Nats26 competitors and friends to Richmond, Virginia!

Champion – George Matthew Gutierrez  Harlingen High School South, Texas Coached by Eddy Cavazos and Martin Vela FOUR-TIME FINALIST! George Matthew Gutierrez has been a finalist four times ('26: POI, '25: DUO, '24: HI, '23: STO) and a champion in 2026 and 2024!

2nd Place – Allison Hernandez  Los Altos High School, California Coached by Megan Thompson and Joel Anguiano

Champion – Jeremy Jesse Royse City High School, Texas Coached by Nathanial Dennis

2nd Place – Samaira Mehta Archbishop Mitty High School, California Coached by Karen Cruz 3rd Place – Luis Latozefsky Lake Brantley High School, Florida Coached by Dan Smith

3rd Place – Gavin Foust  Lincoln East High School, Nebraska Coached by Nick Herink, Elle Barts, and Max Apel

4th Place – Sami Jama Moorhead High School, Minnesota Coached by Rebecca Meyer-Larson, Lucie Swanson, and the coaches at Moorhead High School

4th Place – Gavin Crayton David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy, Louisiana Coached by Jacob Leger, Brittany Turner, and Emily Guidry

5th Place – Isra Yasin  Apple Valley High School, Minnesota Coached by Scott Voss, Halima Badri, and Hoda Husen

5th Place – Bennie Tate Winston Churchill High School, Texas Coached by Daniel Moore and Preston Stolte 6th Place – Sifan Berento Lakeville North High School, Minnesota Coached by Bryan Grosso

6th Place – Jackson Moore Stow-Munroe Falls High School, Ohio Coached by Jimmy Miller and Jason Folk

The six finalists in OO are recipients of the Making The Stage scholarship provided

by Joe and Pam Wycoff in honor of Pam’s parents, Bill and Berneeta Campbell.

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 31

2026 HONORS & AWARDS

World Schools Debate Invitational presented by Simpson College

World Schools Debate Top Speakers presented by Simpson College Robert Shrum Award 1st Place – Hannah Yang West Los Angeles Violet Coached by Brandon Batham and Timothy Meyer 2nd Place – Valmik Dangayach Hong Kong Red 3rd Place – Evan Kung Capitol Valley Gold 4th Place – William Covington Arizona Indigo

Champions – CAROLINA WEST GOLD (listed alphabetically) Natalie Berman Mason Csantaveri

Evan Horner Divija Rao Jackson Willis

Coached by Bilal Butt, Megan Butt, Lynne Coyne, and Jack Ave

5th Place – Serena Patel Carolina East Red 6th Place – Pratham Sreekantan Arizona Indigo

2nd Place – FLORIDA FLAMINGO FUSCHIA Evan Coulter Eli Tomassetti Luisa Duarte Nick Torres Lila Mosse Coached by Kate Hamm and Justinmar Perez Semifinalists – CHINA GOLD Yu Kiu Chau Koki Kishida Ryan Zhang Jasmine Gao Ruisi He Coached by David Peterson, Jerring Shen, Armit Agastia, Cayman Giodano, and Richard Chen

Access your favorite performances on the official NSDA livestream archive:

Semifinalists – CALIFORNIA COAST GOLD Nate Bomzee Reva Ukkadam Motoko Iwata Sophia Zhang Allyson Lingo

www.speechanddebate.org/ nationals-2026-livestreamarchive

Coached by Julie Herman, Les Philips, Kyle Hietala, Erin Ritchie, Steven Rapp, Jon Joey Telebrico, and Mariel Cruz

LIVESTREAM P R E S E N T E D BY

The winning World Schools Debate team receives the Dr. Alfred “Tuna” Snider Championship Plaque, presented by Tom Rollins 32

VOICES ELEVATED.

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

Impromptu

Storytelling

Poetry Reading

presented by Bob and Salli Stockton

presented by Bob and Salli Stockton

presented by Bob and Salli Stockton

Champion – Zoya Siddiqui Downers Grove South High School, Illinois

Champion – Kincade Brown Tuscarawas Valley High School, Ohio

Coached by Justin Matkovich, Jan Heiteen, and Elighie Wilson

Coached by Carrie Alexander Spina

Champion – Adrianna Allen Rowan County Senior High School, Kentucky Coached by Misty Litton and Eric Morris

2nd Place – Theo Campen

2nd Place – Oliver Berg

2nd Place – Blake McGlasson

Wheaton Warrenville South High School, Illinois

Orono High School, Minnesota

Texhoma High School, Oklahoma

Coached by Nicolle Berg and Barb Shofner

Coached by Lindsay Skelton

Coached by Matthew Dudak and Dave DeMarzo

3rd Place – Madeleine Devlin

3rd Place – Jordan Lee

3rd Place – Simon Forbes

Ursuline High School, Ohio

Southland College Prep Charter High

Orono High School, Minnesota

Coached by Joan Williams and Lisa Devlin

School, Illinois Coached by Cheryl Frazier

4th Place – Kaedyn Blede

4th Place – Navdeep Singh

Coached by Sasha Rathke and Nicolle Berg 4th Place – Jacob Dubrovsky Catholic Memorial School, Massachusetts Coached by Ryan Julian and Brother Anthony K. Cavet 5th Place – Ash Klann Mounds Park Academy, Minnesota

Raymore-Peculiar High School, Missouri Coached by Jayme Overstreet, Dane Schnake, and Kayla Gerlt 5th Place – Micah Taylor

5th Place – Khloe Smith Post High School, Texas

Coached by Coby Evers

Coached by Deborah Gauori

6th Place – Jimmy Bendicsen

6th Place – Sienna Stautz

Wheaton Warrenville South High School, Illinois

Coached by David Winkler

Coached by Milla Smith

San Angelo Central High School, Texas

Coached by Tanner Sunderman

Wrightstown High School, Wisconsin

Bullard High School, California

Coached by Dave DeMarzo and Matthew Dudak

6th Place – Jayden Kennedy Oak Grove High School, Mississippi Coached by Shane Cole and Anna Philpot

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 33

2026 HONORS & AWARDS

Commentary

Original Spoken Word Poetry

presented by Bob and Salli Stockton

presented by Bob and Salli Stockton

presented by Always Writing 4 U

Champion – Clara Litherland Lakeville North High School, Minnesota

Champion – Connor McNeill Wadsworth City Schools, Ohio

Champion – Noah Sanborn Rosemount Sr. High School, Minnesota

Coached by Kate Hildebrand

Coached by Kathrine Dannemiller, David Gailey, and Anna Bowling

Coached by Brandon Fisher

Prose Reading

B ROT H E R R E N É ST E R N E R

2nd Place – Luke Speller

2nd Place – Lexie Toshav 

2nd Place – Nathaniel Occean

Clear Falls High School, Texas

Isidore Newman School, Louisiana

Miramar High School, Florida

Coached by Tomas Cosenza

Coached by Alma Nicholson

Coached by Renea Moss

3rd Place – Dylan Tobias

3rd Place – Shamini Biju

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, Mississippi

3rd Place – Jordan Lee

Shrewsbury High School, Massachusetts

Coached by Jharick Shields and Darin Maier

Southland College Prep Charter High

Coached by Gabriel Hopkins, Hannah

School, Illinois

4th Place – Britney Deer Barringer High School, New Jersey Coached by Michael Sowell and Bianca Igwilloh 5th Place – Josmanuel DeLeon

Hopkins, and Marc Rischitelli 4th Place – Ava DiNapoli  Valencia High School, California Coached by Sarah Ford 5th Place – Maxon Chen

University High School, New Jersey

Lee’s Summit North High School, Missouri

Coached by Saul Grullon

Coached by Ben Jewell and Kate Sweeney

4th Place – Khloe Smith Post High School, Texas Coached by Deborah Gauori 5th Place – Sarai Daley Los Altos High School, California Coached by Megan Thompson and Joel Anguiano

6th Place – Monique Akwaowo

34

Coached by Cheryl Frazier

Newark Central High School, New Jersey

6th Place – Arjun Kumar

Coached by Dennis K. Philbert, Isiah Briggs, Chidera Okeke, and Oluwadamilare Odukomaiya

Ridge High School, New Jersey

6th Place – Destiny Anderson

Coached by David Yastremski and

Rolla Sr. High School, Missouri

Regina Heater

Coached by Patrick Brooks

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

Expository

Extemporaneous Debate

presented by Bob and Salli Stockton

presented by Colorado College

Check out additional photos from the 2026 National Tournament: tinyurl.com/ Nats26PhotoGallery PEAK PERFORMANCES! The combined Nats26 livestreams reached more than 52k views!

Champion – Jimmy Bendicsen Wheaton Warrenville South High School, Illinois

Champion – Maeve Welch St. Luke’s School, Connecticut Coached by Bryce Piotrowski

Coached by Dave DeMarzo and Matthew Dudak 2nd Place – Molly Wolfe

2nd Place – Andrew Winkel

Louisville Senior High School, Ohio

Summit High School, Oregon

Coached by Katy Russell, Kayla Hrindak, and Jake Zartman

Coached by Amanda Mooers

3rd Place – Pradnya Cowlagi

3rd Place – Elena Zaganjori

Shrewsbury High School, Massachusetts Coached by Gabriel Hopkins, Marc Rischitelli, Craig Powers, and Vivian Powers

STREAMING SPECTACULAR! The Nats26 livestream was watched for a total of nearly 12,000 hours! That’s 1.36 years!

Arlington High School, Massachusetts Coached by Dr. Donald H. Broussard 4th Place – Logan Loughridge

4th Place – Ella D’Auria Syosset High School, New York

Rolla Sr. High School, Missouri

Coached by Lydia Esslinger

Coached by Patrick Brooks

5th Place – Meena Surakanti

5th Place – Chad Collings

Durham Academy, North Carolina Coached by Rachel Mauchline, Crawford Leavoy, Jacob Deutsch, and Seth Hammond 6th Place – Miya Zhu

PHOTO FRENZY! Official Nats26 photographers captured more than 22,600 images during the week!

Alta High School, Utah Coached by Jacqueline Croswhite 6th Place – Donna Kim

Valencia High School, California

Los Osos High School, California

Coached by Candace Alonzo

Coached by Erik Pielstick ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 35

J OIN T HE

COMMUNITY SPEECH AND DEBATE CHANGES LIVES. Stay connected (or reconnect!) with other speech and debate alumni by signing up for your free alumni membership at:

www.speechanddebate.org/alumni

36

ONCE A SPEAKER, ALWAYS A SPEAKER

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

CLAIM YOUR FREE ALUMNI MEMBERSHIP

TODAY! BE PART OF THE

LARGEST SPEECH AND DEBATE COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTRY! Gain Access To: » Speech & Debate Alumni Community LinkedIn group » Volunteer Opportunities » Exclusive Alumni Benefits

Congressional Legislation Recognition These students authored the 2026 National Congress legislation. Thank you for your submissions!

Students marked with an asterisk () submitted multiple pieces of legislation.

Jane Anderson Aakash Arulkumaran Harry Barningham Stanley Beckley Tanish Chauchan Adeleine Choi Claire Facchini David Ha* Mason Heibert* Michael Hoang Avaani Joshi Ishaan Kancharla* Ashwin Kishor Ashraf Kuzbari Katherine Lee Ian Lee-Kim

Mountain View High School, AZ Plano East Senior High School, TX Rambam Mesivta, NY American Heritage Broward Middle School, FL Prosper High School, TX Lassiter Highschool, GA Loyola School - New York, NY Penn High School, IN Medina Senior High School, OH W.B. Ray High School, TX Alliance Academy for Innovation, GA Research Triangle High School, NC Dreyfoos School of the Arts, FL Plano East Senior High School, TX Cherry Creek Highschool, CO Conway High School, AR

Congressional Debate competitors take the oath of office at the Congressional Debate Opening Assembly

Ryne Magner

Hampton Dumont High School, IA

Advait Mahale

Collierville High School, TN

Nirav Mandhani

The Village School, TX

Elena Metoyer

Atascocita High School, TX

Aron Nathan

Hathaway Brown School, OH

Charles Nelles*

Brophy College Prep, AZ

Diego Pa-Ortiz

Loyola High School, CA

Liam Rosemeyer

Highland Park High School, IL

William Schwebach

Yorktown High School, VA

William Selzer*

Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School, IN

Lukas Shrestha*

Newton South High School, MA

Grace Swihart

Lake High School, OH

Addison Watchorn*

Lincoln Southwest High School, NE

Henry Winstanley

Oxbridge Academy of The Palm Beaches, FL

Noah Young

Niles McKinley High School, OH

PODIUM PAST AND PRESENT! View additional results and tournament history: www.speechanddebate.org/ nationals-history ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 37

2026 HONORS & AWARDS President’s Bowls presented by Mr. and Mrs. Donus and Lovila Roberts Awarded to the students who, according to the judges, won the final round of competition

President’s Bowl Informative Speaking

President’s Bowl United States Extemp

President’s Bowl International Extemp

President’s Bowl Original Oratory

Jeffrey Bao Bellarmine College Prep, CA

Sylvia Oglesbay Edina High School, MN

Jeremy Jesse Royse City High School, TX

Coached by Gavin Griffin

Yatesh Singh, Liz Vieira Singh, Joe Schmitt, Makayla Hillukka, Tanner Jones, and Joseph Annareddy

Zoe Becker School Without Walls High School, DC

Coached by Nathanial Dennis

Coached by Avalon Ayres

Interp Bowls presented by the NSDA Hall of Fame Awarded to the students who, according to the judges, won the final round of competition

Interp Bowl Program Oral Interp

Interp Bowl Humorous Interp

Interp Bowl Dramatic Interp

Interp Bowl - Duo Interp

Allison Hernandez  Los Altos High School, CA

Leon Yang  Fairmont High School, MN

Zach Johannes Lincoln East High School, NE

Avi Guptaand Kostantina Bala Archbishop Mitty High School, CA

Coached by Megan Thompson and Joel Anguiano

Coached by Kathleen Walker, Miles Duffey, and Erik Walker

Coached by Nick Herink, Elle Barts, and Max Apel

Coached by Karen Cruz, John Harris, and BJ Cruz

2025–2026 USA Debate Team

38

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

presented by Mike Edmonds

(left to right, top row) Aayush Appan – Plano West Senior High School, TX Anthony Babu – Concord-Carlisle High School, MA Divya Beeram – TMI Episcopal, TX Bryan Dong – Middlesex School, MA Brooke Gemechu – Hawken School, OH Jasper He – Newton South High School, MA (bottom row) Jiya Jolly – Isidore Newman School, LA Sarah Koshy – Greenhill School, TX Iva Liu – Orange County School of the Arts, CA Ishaan Quazi – Seven Lakes High School, TX Aaron Tian – Thomas S. Wootton High School, MD Alice Yi – Lakeville South High School, MN

Senator Karl E. Mundt Congress Sweepstakes Trophy Presented annually to the school that has accumulated the most Congressional Debate participation points

Plano East Sr. High School, Texas Coached by Madi Gackenbach Students: Aakash Arulkumaran, Advait Boyanapalli, and Ashraf Kuzbari

Bruno E. Jacob Pi Kappa Delta Trophy Presented annually to the school that has accumulated the greatest number of main event rounds at the National Tournament

Cheyenne East High School, Wyoming

Bruno E. Jacob Commendation

Albert S. Odom Commendation

Michael Starks

Allen Pino

Presented to any coach of record who has coached more than 50% of the points at the time of winning the Bruno E. Jacob Trophy

Presented to the current advisor on record of the school receiving the Bruno E. Jacob / Pi Kappa Delta Trophy

The Unger Cup

Awarded to the Policy Debate program that has placed the highest cumulatively at five great national debate tournaments

Taipei American School in Taiwan Coached by Chase Williams, Lawrence Zhou, Jiyoon Park, Clara Conry, Graham Revare, Jimin Park, and Micah Cook

Ted W. Belch Award

Presented to the advisor of the champion Policy Debate Team

Chase Williams TAIPEI’S TWO-TIME TRIUMPH! Taipei American School reclaimed the Unger Cup, and coach Chase Williams earned his second consecutive Ted W. Belch Award.

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 39

2026 HONORS & AWARDS

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Congressional Debate

MIDDLE SCHOOL

World Schools Debate

Presented by Advantage Communications

The 2026 Middle School National Tournament was held June 16-19, 2026, in Richmond, Virginia. Middle School Nationals is an open invitational tournament, and all middle school NSDA members were welcome to compete for a chance to be named a middle school national champion!

1st – Lillian Liu Windemere Ranch ADACC, California Coached by Jenny Abdelmalek

2nd – Alana Schwartz American Heritage Schools, Palm Beach Campus, Florida Coached by Bo Lint

3rd – Ira Shilimkar Arizona College Preparatory Middle School, Arizona Coached by Noelle Sakauye, Ila Hatwal, Riya Patel, Will Covington, Pratham Sreekantan, Chloe Kim, Aisha Mahmud, Anvika Ghali, and Aneesh Velicheti

4th – Ryker Scott The Weiss School, Florida Coached by Patti Dowling

5th – Stanley Beckley American Heritage Broward Middle School, Florida

NATS26 PHOTOS Check out additional photos from the 2026 National Tournament: tinyurl.com/ Nats26PhotoGallery 40

Coached by Joele Denis, Thadeus Smith, Charese Folks, and Stephen Scopa

6th – Ira Kumar Westglades Middle School, Florida Coached by Brooke Pappas

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

1st – China Gold Ryan Yan, Miranda Chen, and Yunran Geng Dialogy, China Coached by David Peterson, Jerring Shen, Amrit Agastia, Cayman Giordano, Daniel Yeung, and Richard Chen

2nd – Tierra Linda Sanya Gupta, Ethan Lee, Aayur Manglani, and Claire Xing Tierra Linda Middle School, California Coached by Marty De, Gi Colby, Collin Tuerk, and Rashon Leday

Semifinalists – Hong Kong Red Jessica Zhang, Ashton Heng, Kalie Liu, Claire Wong, and Kathy Fan SeeChange, Hong Kong Coached by Andrews Terku Terkpertey and Muhammad Nasir Hussain

Semifinalists – Team Canada Red Eric Yu, Megan Lam, Lucas Wei, and Wesley Huang FDT Academy, British Columbia, Canada Coached by Parker Keeley

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

MIDDLE SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Public Forum Debate

Policy Debate

Declamation

Coached by David N. Chamberlain, Delaney Roberts, and Hugo Trejo

1st – Zidaan Barodawala and Iris Ai Windemere Ranch ADACC, California

1st – Tariq Abdul-Jami and Nicholas Hinkhouse Solar Preparatory School for Boys, Texas

1st – Leah Domar Gutierrez Middle School of Arts & Sciences, Texas

Coached by Jenny Abdelmalek

Coached by Kevin Okoyomo

Coached by Matthew Roy Rodriguez and Daniela Lozano

2nd – Keshav Arun Inglewood Middle School, Washington

2nd – Aaron Falck and Paul Asfour Seven Lakes Junior High School, Texas

2nd – Allison Hawkins Thomas L. Sims Middle School, Florida

Coached by Christopher Harvey-Foltz and Muthu Jagannathan

Coached by Almoraima Esparis and Jessica McCreary

2nd – Thomas Smith and Richard Haayen Sudie L. Williams Talented and Gifted Academy, Texas

presented in memory of Tina Wang

1st – Bailey Wong El Roble Intermediate, California

Semifinalist – Joshua Varghese BASIS Scottsdale - MS, Arizona Coached by Scott Woods, Daniel Waks, and Christopher Klugman

Semifinalist – Ryan Lin The Harker School, California Coached by Ana Bittner and David Kilpatrick

Semifinalists – Saranya Muralidhara and Aadya Marru Julia Landon College Preparatory and Leadership Development School, Florida Coached by Keith Smith and Muralidhara Narayanappa

Semifinalists – Siddharth Botcha and Jasper Chen Fulton Science Academy Private School, Georgia Coached by Nan Ma

Coached by Richard T. Quadri

Semifinalists – Caleb Alexander and Towns Reimer Solar Preparatory School for Boys, Texas Coached by Kevin Okoyomo

Semifinalists – Keniston DeSquare and Brandon Jones Solar Preparatory School for Boys, Texas Coached by Kevin Okoyomo

Coached by Ashley Carter, Nicole Allen, and Paul Queija

3rd – Maira Lala The Science Academy STEM Magnet (MS), California Coached by Ricardo Velasquez

4th – Ravenna Gigstead Robert C. Fisler Middle School, California Coached by Adriena YoungToghia, Amelia Burns, and Caroline Dergazarian

5th – Jillian Liang Hollencrest Middle, California Coached by Emily Benavides and Sal Tinajero

BACK-TO-BACK BRILLIANCE! Spot the star () symbol? That means these phenomenal middle schoolers have done it again! Celebrate our incredible repeat finalists as they return to the stage for another well-deserved moment in the spotlight.

6th – Hendrik Hsu Mesa Robles School, California Coached by Joel Anguiano, Megan Thompson, and Kailee Thompson

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 41

2026 HONORS & AWARDS

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Mixed Extemporaneous Speaking

MIDDLE SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Impromptu Speaking

Original Oratory

Original Spoken Word Poetry

1st – Liam Sahli Friendly Hills Middle School, Minnesota

1st – Taj Brown The Village Middle School, Texas

1st – Maahi Ailawadhi Alice B. Landrum Middle School, Florida

1st – Damilola Adeoshun E. A. Olle Middle School, Texas

Coached by Ben Geiger and Ava Roots

Coached by Heather Huffman, Connor Huffman, and Rob Gale

Coached by Sandra Pagliughi and Rita Komaroff

Coached by George Tennison and Tomi Akinwande

2nd – Avinoor Jutla

2nd – Caroline Herbst

Abraham Lincoln Middle School, Florida

Holy Innocents School for Middle School, California

2nd – Lorenzo Williamson Edgewood Middle, California

2nd – Kayla Silverman Tierra Linda Middle School, California

Coached by Marna Weston and Dr. Joni Perkins

Coached by William Turner

3rd – Advik Garg 3rd – Emerson Blue Seaside Neighborhood School, Florida Coached by Robyn Wallace

Coached by Steven Leal and Jennifer Cho

4th – Luca Beltran

4th – Rainier Wang

Wooster Middle School, Ohio

The Harker School, California

Coached by Bill Franck, Holly Custer, and Maggie Snyder

Coached by Ana Bittner and David Kilpatrick

5th – Saanvi Kothari Tessellations, California Coached by Kyle Hietala

6th – Avamagdalyn

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BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, California

Coached by Sal Tinajero and Emily Benavides

3rd – Aditi Venmani Sunset Middle School, Tennessee Coached by Olga Reeves, Priya Prakash, and Kumari Jyoti Singh

4th – Bailey Palencia Cedarlane Academy, California

Polytechnic School, California

Coached by Joel AnguianoDelgado, Megan Thompson, and Kailee Thompson

Coached by Alice Zhang, Mike Kyle, Jung Park, and Danny Glasgow

5th – Anna Andrews Beresford Middle School, South Dakota

5th – Alice Zhang

Coached by Ann Tornberg

Straub

6th – Leah Yang

Success Academy Midtown West, New York

Notre Dame Elementary School, California

6th – Shanaya Gupta The Harker School, California

Coached by Ivy Che

Coached by Evan Wang, Wayne Liu, and Aleena Xiao

Coached by Ana Bittner and David Kilpatrick

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

Coached by Marty De, Gi Colby, Collin Tuerk, and Rashon Leday

3rd – Zoey Zhang The Pike School, Massachusetts Coached by Elisabeth F. Venetiou, Fran Mellin, Kacey King, Katti Mayk, Liam Concannon, and Marianne Kennedy

4th – Yaretzi Carrasco Gutierrez Middle School of Arts & Sciences, Texas Coached by Matthew Roy Rodriguez and Daniela Lozano

5th – Zunairah Qasim Arizona College Preparatory Middle School, Arizona Coached by Noelle Sakauye, Ila Hatwal, Riya Patel, Will Covington, Pratham Sreekantan, Chloe Kim, Aisha Mahmud, Anvika Ghali, and Aneesh Velicheti

6th – Tia Somesh Gordon H. Beatty Middle School, California Coached by Amelia Burns and Lizeth Martinez

MIDDLE SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Dramatic Interpretation

Humorous Interpretation

Duo Interpretation

Program Oral Interpretation

1st – Lauren Elliott Gutierrez Middle School of Arts & Sciences, Texas

1st – Tiegen Fryberger Duluth Marshall School, Minnesota

1st – Lauren Elliott and Vesper Garza Gutierrez Middle School of Arts & Sciences, Texas

1st – Vesper Garza Gutierrez Middle School of Arts & Sciences, Texas

Coached by Tony Lockhart

Coached by Matthew Roy Rodriguez and Daniela Lozano

Coached by Matthew Roy Rodriguez and Daniela Lozano

2nd – Vesper Garza Gutierrez Middle School of Arts & Sciences, Texas Coached by Matthew Roy Rodriguez and Daniela Lozano

3rd – Catalina Campas Mesa Robles School, California Coached by Joel Anguiano, Megan Thompson, and Kailee Thompson

4th – Emma Ybarra Gutierrez Middle School of Arts & Sciences, Texas Coached by Matthew Roy Rodriguez and Daniela Lozano

5th – Dahlia Menendez San Francisco Day School, California Coached by Jenny Cook and Jason Tognetti

6th – Ryan Heathcock Brentwood School Middle Division, California Coached by Robert Adanto

2nd – Maahi Ailawadhi Alice B. Landrum Middle School, Florida Coached by Sandra Pagliughi and Rita Komaroff

3rd – Jacky Huynh Edgewood Middle, California Coached by Sal Tinajero and Emily Benavides

4th – Martin Guerrero The Village Middle School, Texas Coached by Heather Huffman, Connor Huffman, and Rob Gale

5th – Andrew Seidelman Indian Hills Junior High, Iowa Coached by David McGinnis

6th – Winston Berg Orono Middle School, Minnesota Coached by Barbara Shofner and Nicolle Berg

2nd – Yasmine Peregrino-brimah and Fatou Sylla Success Academy Hamilton Heights Middle School, New York

Coached by Ryan L. Gosling and Nana Alawiye

3rd – Anasofia Corrales and Javier Alcala Gutierrez Middle School of Arts & Sciences, Texas Coached by Matthew Roy Rodriguez and Daniela Lozano

4th – Rayan Bhardwaj and Lucas Gates Bob Lanier Middle School, Texas Coached by Franz Hill

5th – Evaline Hirst and Leah Domar Gutierrez Middle School of Arts & Sciences, Texas

Coached by Matthew Roy Rodriguez and Daniela Lozano

6th – Alessa Galvan and Emma Ybarra Gutierrez Middle School of Arts & Sciences, Texas Coached by Matthew Roy Rodriguez and Daniela Lozano

Coached by Matthew Roy Rodriguez and Daniela Lozano

BACK 2 BACK! Vesper returns as POI champ after reigning at Nats25!

2nd – Maahi Ailawadhi Alice B. Landrum Middle School, Florida Coached by Sandra Pagliughi and Rita Komaroff

3rd – Yasmine Peregrino-brimah Success Academy Hamilton Heights Middle School, New York Coached by Ryan L. Gosling and Nana Alawiye

4th – Lauren Elliott Gutierrez Middle School of Arts & Sciences, Texas Coached by Matthew Roy Rodriguez and Daniela Lozano

5th – Syrena Davinder The Village Middle School, Texas Coached by Heather Huffman, Connor Huffman, and Rob Gale

6th – Liliana De Los Santos Memorial Middle School, Texas Coached by Laura I. Sierra

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 43

2026 HONORS & AWARDS

MIDDLE SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Poetry Interpretation

Prose Interpretation

Informative Speaking

Storytelling

1st – Cetlalli Valenzuela Gonzalez Edgewood Middle, California

1st – Madden Davis LaRue County Middle School, Kentucky

1st – Aivah Dauzart David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy, LA

1st – Lauren Elliott Gutierrez Middle School of Arts & Sciences, Texas

Coached by Katy Cecil, Kate McCubbin, and Eric Cecil

Coached by Haven Evans, Ja’Nayah Howard, and Gavin Crayton

Coached by Matthew Roy Rodriguez and Daniela Lozano

2nd – Kadence Smith Bob Lanier Middle School, Texas

2nd – Ravenna Gigstead Robert C. Fisler Middle School, California

Coached by Sal Tinajero and Emily Benavides

2nd – Darcy Lam Edgewood Middle, California Coached by Sal Tinajero and Emily Benavides

3rd – Charlie Strohmeyer Gutierrez Middle School of Arts & Sciences, Texas Coached by Matthew Roy Rodriguez and Daniela Lozano

4th – Bailey Palencia Cedarlane Academy, California Coached by Joel AnguianoDelgado, Megan Thompson, and Kailee Thompson

5th – Ryan Heathcock Brentwood School Middle Division, California Coached by Robert Adanto

6th – Cielo Acuna Memorial Middle School, Texas Coached by Laura I. Sierra 44

Coached by Franz Hill

3rd – Rose Pereda Coakley Middle School, Texas Coached by Yajahira Jaimez

4th – Riccah Bautista Amadeine E. A. Olle Middle School, Texas Coached by George Tennison and Tomi Akinwande

5th – Charlie Strohmeyer Gutierrez Middle School of Arts & Sciences, Texas Coached by Matthew Roy Rodriguez and Daniela Lozano

6th – Sophia Arroyo Mesa Robles School, California Coached by Joel Anguiano, Megan Thompson, and Kailee Thompson

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

Coached by Adriena YoungToghia, Amelia Burns, and Caroline Dergazarian

3rd – Charushri Karthik Century Middle School, Minnesota Coached by Jennifer Baese

4th – Vihaan Reddy Arizona College Preparatory Middle School, Arizona Coached by Noelle Sakauye, Ila Hatwal, Riya Patel, Will Covington, Pratham Sreekantan, Chloe Kim, Aisha Mahmud, Anvika Ghali, and Aneesh Velicheti

5th – Saisha Davinder The Village Middle School, Texas Coached by Heather Huffman, Connor Huffman, and Rob Gale

6th – Kean Angeles Gordon H. Beatty Middle, California Coached by Amelia Burns and Lizeth Martinez

TROPHY TRIFECTA! Lauren sweeps three champion trophies at Nats26!

2nd – Marvin Polnitz Trewyn Middle School, Illinois Coached by Mariela GarciaAlvarado and Raul Ruano

3rd – Hailey Hong Parks Junior High, California Coached by Adriena Toghia, Amelia Burns, and Caroline Dergarzarian

4th – Aaron Sandoval Mesa Robles School, California Coached by Joel Anguiano, Megan Thompson, and Kailee Thompson

5th – Emma Ybarra Gutierrez Middle School of Arts & Sciences, Texas Coached by Matthew Roy Rodriguez and Daniela Lozano

6th – Javier Alcala Gutierrez Middle School of Arts & Sciences, Texas Coached by Matthew Roy Rodriguez and Daniela Lozano

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Debate Awards

World Schools Top Speaker

Lincoln-Douglas Top Speaker

Rosy Song Dialogy, China

Public Forum Top Speaker

Ryan Lin Zidaan Barodawala The Harker Middle School, California Windemere Ranch ADACC, California

Coached by David Peterson, Jerring Shen, Amrit Agastia, Cayman Giordano, Daniel Yeung, and Richard Chen

Coached by Ana Bittner and David Kilpatrick

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Coach Awards

Coached by Jenny Abdelmalek

Policy Debate Top Speaker

Congress Final Session Presiding Officer

Thomas Smith Sudie L. Williams TAG Academy, Texas

Albert Liu Durham Academy, North Carolina

Coached by Richard T. Quadri

Coached by Rachel Mauchline, Crawford Leavoy, and Rohith Murali

MEMBERSHIP

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Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, the NSDA is replacing complex costs with one all-inclusive annual membership.

No per-student fees, no hidden costs, and no unpredictable budgets—just total freedom to grow your program.

UNLIMITED student and coach memberships FULL ACCESS to all NSDA resources,

including final round videos Middle School Coach of the Year Heather Huffman The Village Middle School Texas

INSTANT digital degree certificate printing NEED-BASED assistance available

RENEW Today! www.speechanddebate.org

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 45

2026 HONORS & AWARDS

Coach and Community Honors and Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award

Brother Gregory René Sterner Lifetime Service Award

Thomas Glenn Pelham Award

Sara Blakely Businesswoman and philanthropist

Mario L. Herrera Midtown High School Georgia

Adam Jacobi Executive Director

Founder of Spanx and Sneex

SPANX, SNEEX, AND THE SUPERPOWER OF SPEECH! Spanx founder Sara Blakely snagged the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award. She credits high school debate for her legendary retail empire, proving that core skills like using assertive language, reading nonverbal cues, and anticipating objections clinch wins in the classroom and in the boardroom.

Watch Sara’s acceptance speech and learn how speech and debate shaped her life and career! tinyurl.com/Nats26SaraBlakely

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Wisconsin Interscholastic Speech & Dramatic Arts Association

Activating Equity Award

Frank Sferra Director’s Commendation

Alexandria Currie Advisory Board Member, Washington Urban Debate League

Manuel Halkias Canton McKinley High School

District of Columbia

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

Ohio

DO YOU KNOW AN OUTSTANDING STUDENT OR COACH? Every year, each NSDA District Committee has the opportunity to name a District Student of the Year and also award district coach and administrator awards. From this pool of highly-qualified district-level award winners, the national award winners are selected. To learn more, visit: www.speechanddebate.org/student-recognition or www.speechanddebate.org/coach-recognition.

James M. Copeland Coach of the Year

High School Assistant Coach of the Year

High School New Coach of the Year

Administrator of the Year

Kathleen Walker Fairmont High School

Julie Parr Vienna High School

Taylor Clapp Blackfoot High School

Minnesota

Illinois

Idaho

Dustin Combs Director of Federal Programs, Knott County Board of Education Kentucky

Communicator of the Year

DEFEATING DIVISION WITH DISCOURSE, DEBATE, AND DEMOCRACY! Accepting the NSDA Communicator of the Year award, Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox champions civil discourse in an outrage-driven world. Highlighting his “Disagree Better” initiative, Cox commends speech and debate students and educators for cultivating critical thinking, respectful engagement, and thoughtful listening to strengthen democracy and bridge political divides.

Governor Spencer Cox Governor of Utah

Watch Governor Spencer Cox’s acceptance video: https://youtu.be/ 8FsxC2xjdwg

In Memoriam Join us in reflecting on the lives and legacies of those we’ve lost within the speech and debate community.

tinyurl.com/ Nats26Memorial

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 47

2026 HONORS & AWARDS

Photo by Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

Diamond Coach Awards

DIAMOND DISTINCTION! Randy Pierce is the fifth coach in 100 years of NSDA history to reach the level of tenth diamond, an award requiring at least 270,000 coaching points and a minimum of 50 years of membership!

Seventh Diamond

Seventh Diamond

Harriet Medlin Brentwood High School

Derek Yuill Gabrielino High School

Tennessee

California

THANK YOU, COACHES! Watch our coach spotlight video celebrating our everyday heroes! tinyurl.com/Nats26CoachThanks

Tenth Diamond Randy Pierce Francis Howell North High School Missouri

Establish your legacy with the causes that matter the most to you.

A bequest in your estate plan (also known as a planned gift) costs nothing today, but provides sustained support to the National Speech & Debate Association for years to come.

It is a powerful way to create a lasting impact.

48

Begin your legacy with the National Speech & Debate Association

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

The National Speech & Debate Association is grateful to the members of the 1925 Society for pledging a generous planned gift contribution.

Learn more and find our list of current donors at: www.speechanddebate.org/1925-society

Sixth Diamond

Sixth Diamond

Jane Boyd Grapevine High School

Todd Hering Eastview High School

Texas

Minnesota

Sixth Diamond

Sixth Diamond

David Huston Plano West Sr. High School

Sheryl Kaczmarek Lexington High School

Texas

Massachusetts

PATRIOTS, PASSION, AND PERSUASION: PRESERVING PATRICK HENRY’S LEGACY! To mark America’s 250th anniversary, CBS News contributor and National Tournament emcee David Begnaud traveled to historic St. John’s Church in Richmond, Virginia—the exact spot where Patrick Henry delivered his legendary 1775 “Give me liberty or give me death!” speech.

Joined by Church Executive Director Stephen Wilson and six of the nation’s premier speech and debate students—Ja’Nayah Howard, Armaan Sethi, Catalina Cabello-Corona, Javier Cabello-Corona, Noah Martinez, and Meredith Leo—this special CBS Mornings “Beg-Knows America” segment brings history to life.

Watch the segment and be inspired as the voices of the past and future collide. tinyurl.com/PatrickHenryCBS

Sixth Diamond

Sixth Diamond

Marc Rischitelli Shrewsbury High School

Aaron Timmons Greenhill School

Massachusetts

Texas

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 49

2026 HONORS & AWARDS

Milestone School Attendance Awards

70th National Tournament Appearance

60th National Tournament Appearance

Oakwood High School Ohio

Pekin Comm High School Illinois

50th National Tournament Appearance

50th National Tournament Appearance

50th National Tournament Appearance

Bullard High School California

St. Thomas More Catholic High School Louisiana

The Blake School Minnesota

50th National Tournament Appearance

50th National Tournament Appearance

Heritage Hall School Oklahoma

Midland Legacy High School Texas

SUPPORT THE ROAD TO NATIONALS FUND! The Road to Nationals Fund, founded by the William Woods Tate, Jr., Memorial Fund (often called “the Tate Fund”) provides financial assistance to schools who are lacking financial resources to attend the National Tournament. www.speechanddebate.org/road-to-nationals 50

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026

H I G H S C H O O L – S C H O O L AWA R D S

2026 Schools of Outstanding Distinction American Heritage School - Broward, Florida

Bellarmine College Prep, California

Leland High School, California

American Heritage Schools, Palm Beach Campus, Florida

Cary Academy, North Carolina

Lincoln East High School, Nebraska

Archbishop Mitty High School, California

Eagan High School, Minnesota

Plano West Sr. High School, Texas

James Logan High School, California

Schools of Excellence in Debate

Schools of Excellence in Speech

BASIS Phoenix High School, Arizona

Oakwood High School, Ohio

Brentwood High School, Tennessee

Ridge High School, New Jersey

Cupertino High School, California Dougherty Valley High School, California

Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, California

Flintridge Preparatory School, California

Seven Lakes High School, Texas

Apple Valley High School, Minnesota Catholic Memorial School, Massachusetts Choctaw High School, Oklahoma David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy, Louisiana Eastview High School, Minnesota Fairmont High School, Minnesota Gabrielino High School, California GlenOak High School, Ohio Grapevine High School, Texas Harlingen High School, Texas Harlingen High School South, Texas

George Washington High School, Colorado

Strath Haven High School, Pennsylvania

Hawken School, Ohio

Taipei American School, Taiwan

Lee’s Summit North High School, Missouri

Theodore Roosevelt High School, Iowa

Lexington High School, Massachusetts Monte Vista High School, California

University School, Ohio Vestavia Hills High School, Alabama

Norman High School, Oklahoma

Schools of Honor in Debate

Lakeville North High School, Minnesota Lee’s Summit North High School, Missouri Los Altos High School Hacienda Heights, California Millard North High School, Nebraska Monta Vista High School, California Moorhead High School, Minnesota Plymouth High School, Indiana Prior Lake High School, Minnesota Riverside High School, South Carolina Stow-Munroe Falls High School, Ohio Winston Churchill High School, Texas

Schools of Honor in Speech

Alief Kerr High School, Texas

Medina Senior High School, Ohio

Avon High School, Indiana

Plano Sr. High School, Texas

Arlington High School, Massachusetts

Memorial High School, Texas

College Preparatory School, California

Portage Central High School, Michigan

Bellaire High School, Texas

Milton Academy, Massachusetts

Concord Carlisle High School, Massachusetts

Ridge High School, New Jersey RISE High School, Colorado

Columbia-Hickman High School, Missouri

North Allegheny High School, Pennsylvania

Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, Ohio Edina High School, Minnesota

Rosemount Sr. High School, Minnesota

Eastside Preparatory School, Washington

Oxford High School, Missouri

Granite Bay High School, California

Royse City High School, Texas

Eastview High School, Minnesota

Palo Alto High School, California

Lake Brantley High School, Florida

Flower Mound High School, Texas

Phoenix Country Day School, Arizona

Lindale High School, Texas

School Without Walls High School, District of Columbia

Jasper High School, Texas

Rockhurst High School, Missouri

Loyola High School, California

Westridge School, California

Central High School, Missouri

Manhattan High School, Kansas

Myers Park High School, North Carolina Newark Central High School, New Jersey

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, Mississippi Westwood High School, Texas

O’Gorman High School, South Dakota

M I D D L E S C H O O L – S C H O O L AWA R D S

Overall Schools of Excellence in Speech and Debate The Village Middle School, Texas

Bob Lanier Middle School, Texas

Schools of Excellence in Debate Arizona College Preparatory Middle School, Arizona

The Harker Middle School, California

Schools of Excellence in Speech Gutierrez Middle School of Arts & Sciences, Texas

American Heritage Schools, Palm Beach Campus, Florida

Mesa Robles School, California

Alice Deal Middle School, District of Columbia

Gordon H. Beatty Middle School, California

Windemere Ranch ADACC, California

Parks Junior High, California

Solar Preparatory School for Boys, Texas

Robert C. Fisler Middle School, California

BASIS Scottsdale Middle School, Arizona

ROSTRUM | NATIONALS CHRONICLE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION 2026 51

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You give me someone with a perfect score on their SAT or LSAT or someone who did speech and debate.

I know who I’m hiring: YOU! ...

I can’t wait to see how you change the world.

SARA BLAKELY Businesswoman and philanthropist 2026 NSDA Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient

WE ARE SPEECH & DEBATE www.speechanddebate.org