Ransom Everglades' speech and debate team qualified eight students to the National Speech and Debate Association national championship this spring and nearly four dozen students to the Florida Forensic League Varsity State Championship that will be held in Orlando in March. The strong results continued a superb season under RE coach Kate Hamm.
In the South Florida District Tournament on February 25-26, Liv Steinhardt '23, David Dubovy '22 and Dashiell DeStefano '22 qualified for nationals in Congressional Debate; Steinhardt finished first in the House and Dubovy earned second place. DeStefano finished first in the Senate.
Lauren Page '24 also advanced to the national championships with her first-place in International Extemporaneous. Alexandra Henriquez '22 earned first place in Program of Oral Interpretation and Francesca Lopez '24 was second; both will compete at nationals.
In Public Forum debate, Noah Gold '22 and Zach Marcus '22 were undefeated and won first place, advancing to the national championship. Ceci Granda-Scott '22 and Nicole Rodriguez '22 were named first alternates in Public Forum. Claudia Colina '25 was the first alternate in Program of Oral Interpretation, and Lopez was first alternate in International Extemporaneous.
The national championship event takes place in Louisville, Ky., in June.
RESD students advanced to the state tournament with their performance at the 2022 Florida Forensic League Art Deco Regional Tournament in North Miami on February 5. States take place beginning March 4.
Varsity States Qualifiers
Congressional Debate David Dubovy '22 Liv Steinhardt '23 Rebecca Ferrer '24
Public Forum
Amelia Fox ’22 and Andre Joseph ’22
Cecilia Granda-Scott ’22 and Nicole Rodriguez ’22
Noah Gold ‘22 and Zach Marcus ‘22
Danny Mendelson ‘25 and Todd Malone ‘25
Second Alternate: Daniel Luca '23 and Mark Tabet '22
Founded in 1903, Ransom Everglades School is a coeducational, college preparatory day school for grades 6 - 12 located on two campuses in Coconut Grove, Florida. Ransom Everglades School produces graduates who "believe that they are in the world not so much for what they can get out of it as for what they can put into it." The school provides rigorous college preparation that promotes the student's sense of identity, community, personal integrity and values for a productive and satisfying life, and prepares the student to lead and to contribute to society.