Academics

SCA Students Receive National Speech and Debate Association Academic All-American Designation

SCA is pleased to announce that five speech and debate students have been awarded the designation of National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA)’s Academic All-American award. This award is given to the top 2% of speech and debate students in the nation. This is the largest number of students to receive this recognition in a single year from SCA. Students receiving the award are seniors Austin Wilson and Ryan Wagy, and juniors Zachary Akeson, Kandace Gill, and Kaitlyn Gregg. This is Austin Wilson’s second year to receive the award, making him SCA’s first two-time AAA.

Front row (L-R) Kandace Gill, Zachary Akeson, and Kaitlyn Gregg; Back Row (L-R) Austin Wilson, Coach Mark Harris, and Ryan Wagy. These students represent the top two percent of all speech and debate students in the nation, to receive the NSDA’s Academic All-American designation.

Speech & Debate Goals Set...Goals Achieved!

The first goal for speech and debate was that no one compete at a tournament without winning at least one of the four preliminary rounds they would debate. This proved not to be a problem for the nine debaters on the team. Not only did they accomplish this goal, but the team won 166 rounds at a pace of two of every three rounds they debated. This resulted in sixteen trips into elimination rounds and seven first place finishes. Juniors Zachary Akeson and Kaitlyn Gregg were first in Public Forum Debate twice. Junior Kandace Gill took first twice in Lincoln-Douglas Debate. Senior Maycee Nicholson also had a first place finish in Lincoln-Douglas. In Policy Debate, Seniors Ryan Wagy with Austin Wilson had two first place finishes. The debaters also were successful in their individual speech events. Junior Zachary Akeson led the way as he competed in the finals 12 times for his two events, Oration and International Extemporaneous Speaking. In those rounds, he finished in the top three eight times, and first place five times. But Zach was not alone. Other team members made finals 17 times, with five of those resulting in top three finishes. Unlike most other activities and sports, speech and debate competes against all classifications. The members of the team expect to square off against the likes of Rockhurst, Pembroke Hill, Lee’s Summit West, Lee’s Summit North, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, and others at tournaments that could have 30 plus schools participating. Not all members of the team compete together at every tournament because of involvement in other functions and state participation limits but, when they were able to assemble as many as possible, another goal was to finish in the top ten in the team sweepstakes. Another goal met! Twice, even while being the smallest school competing at the tournament, SCA finished not only in the top ten, but in the top five. In January, the team set a school record at the Smithville Tournament for their highest finish in an open classification tournament by coming in second place, behind only Liberty HS in the 26 school field. In February, the Eagles were fourth of the 39 schools at the Neosho Classic. Another goal was to qualify members of the team to state and nationals. This would again mean competing against schools larger than SCA since neither MSHSAA or the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) divide schools by classification. Another goal met! At the state qualifying tournament, SCA saw Zachary Akeson make finals in International Extemporaneous Speaking, and Maycee Nicholson in the final round of Original Oration. Advancing to the State Tournament in April are Ryan Wagy in Radio Speaking, and Maycee Nicholson in Lincoln-Douglas Debate. The National Speech and Debate Tournament, the world’s largest academic competition, will once again include members of the SCA team as Ryan Wagy with Austin Wilson took first place, while going undefeated, in Policy Debate at the Show-Me District Tournament. Joining them will be Zachary Akeson, who finished first in International Extemporaneous Speaking. These three may be joined by other members of the

Goals Set...Goals Achieved! (continued from p.4)

team as there is one more qualifying tournament set for April. Three years ago, when Coach Mark Harris took over the program, a goal was set that each graduating senior be awarded the NSDA honor of Academic All-American. Students become eligible after completing five semesters and by meeting the standards set for grades, ACT score, and points earned through their speech and debate results. Five outstanding students have earned the distinction this year, with a sixth to be awarded in April. Austin Wilson leads the way, earning the award for the second time. He is joined by Ryan Wagy, Zachary Akeson, Kandace Gill, and Kaitlyn Gregg. Joining them in April will be Maycee Nicholson. The All-American Award places these students in the top 1% of all speech and debate students in the nation. These students are the six that were eligible this year…goal met! Finally, Coach Mark Harris was notified in March by the NSDA that he would be receiving a national coaching award; his eighth diamond. Coaches are given diamond awards based on years of service and results achieved by their students. In his 40 years of teaching and coaching, Coach

Harris’ students have advanced to 39 national tournaments. Twelve of his students have been in final rounds at nationals, including a national champion in 2002. Also in 2002, his team won the Stennis

National School Championship and the NSDA School of Excellence award. He has also coached students to 38 state tournaments is three states, with state champions in every speech and debate event. Since the NSDA’s founding in 1925, only 15 coaches have reached the level of 8th diamond. Based on the points earned during his years of service, he presently ranks 8th on the all time list. Because he holds high expectations for his students, and has worked to help them achieve their goals, he will be honored in June at the National Tournament. And so as the year winds down, the Eagle Speech and Debate Squad looks to finish as it is written in Philippians 3: 13-14…”Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it on my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

L-R: Jr Kandace Gill, Jr Briana Chapman, Sr Maycee Nicholson, Jr Kaitlyn Gill, Sr Austin Wilson, Sr Ryan Wagy, and Jr Zachary Akeson.

L-R: Jr Zachary Akeson and Coach Mark Harris.

International Students Kick Off New Unit at the NelsonAtkins Museum of Art

In English for Academic Purposes (EAP), international students visited the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art to kick off their new unit of cultural exploration of identity through inductive investigation of art. Students learned how God gives us an identity through Jesus, and reflected on what we would want others to see if they investigated us the way we scrutinize art. The experience brought about new vocabulary words and high-level thinking opportunities, and prepared the students to showcase their own art project at the SCA International Experience.

Academics

Junior to Compete in Rotary Speech Contest

Junior Zach Akeson won first place in the SCA competition of the Rotary Four-Way Speech Contest. Zach will compete on March 25 against the winners of each of the Lee’s Summit Public Schools. Junior Kaitlyn Gregg earned second place and freshman Karinton Newton earned third place.

Junior Zach Akeson is the winner of SCA’s Four-Way Speech Contest.

Did Someone Say Pie?

While PIE is ALWAYS a good idea, some of our secondary geometry and algebra students celebrated with PIE (YUMMY) for a belated Pi Day. Families contributed pies to be eaten during class and students learned many amazing facts about the number Pi and its history. While many of our students are really gifted at enjoying and eating PIE, many are also gifted with reciting the digits in Pi. Check out some of SCA’s Pi Day record holders: • Emma Miller-Fox recited 167 digits (2021 in Mrs. Weikum’s Geometry class). • Tony Bu recited 161 digits (2021 in Mr. Cahill’s Geometry class). • Abbie Cook recited 81 digits (2021 in Mrs. Weikum’s Geometry class). • Adysen Harris recited 67 digits (2021 in Mrs. Weikum’s Algebra II class). • Ian Ferguson recited 140 digits (2021 in Mrs. Weikum’s Algebra II class in 2020).

L-R: Emma Miller Fox and Abbie Cook are two of this year’s Pi Day record holders.

Elementary Yearbook Club students had the opportunity to tour the H&H Color Lab where the school’s yearbooks are produced. L-R: Sixth grade students Abbey Rapley, Camryn Meyer, Lucas Brownlee, Matthew Brownlee, Elena Michaels, and Isabelle Thompson.

Yearbook Club Visits H&H Color Lab

The SCA Elementary Yearbook Club students recently had the opportunity to visit H&H Color Lab in Raytown, MO. The sixth grade students had the opportunity to experience firsthand how their hard work creating the elementary school yearbook transforms from computer software into a physical book. H&H Color Lab has been in business for 50 years and produces all of SCA’s school photos, sports photos, and yearbooks, as well as custom photographs and keepsakes for professional photographers and clients all over the world including the Kansas City Chiefs. Coowner Amy Drum provided the students with a tour of the facility that included the printing machines, specialized equipment for stapling and fusing spines, shipment center, and computers. Students received education on the printing and production processes and had the opportunity to meet several H&H craftsmen and ask questions about how images transfer to different materials. “It was a wonderful opportunity for students to talk with professionals and see how their projects can be used in the real world,” said SCA Elementary Art Teacher and Yearbook Club Director Suzanne Turner.