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RE Speech and Debate sweeps regional team events as 17 students earn national bids

Ransom Everglades Speech and Debate delivered a dominant performance at the 2026 Florida Flamingo District National Qualifier at Ransom Everglades March 14, with 17 students securing a trip to the National Speech and Debate Association’s (NSDA) Championship Tournament in Richmond in June. RE also swept the team honors, winning the speech, debate and overall tournament sweepstakes and tying for the congressional debate sweepstakes under coaches Kate Hamm and Justinmar Perez.
The qualifying event featured competitors from 24 schools across Miami-Dade. Students competed for the top two spots in most categories to earn a place at the national finals.

Ransom Everglades students achieved first-place finishes in nearly every major category. Victories included Dylan Beyda ’27 in Humorous Interpretation, Dylan Kantessari ’27 in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking and Ella Griffin ’27 in International Extemporaneous Speaking. In Public Forum Debate, RE claimed both the first- and second-place qualifying spots, led by the championship duo of Giacomo Chinoy ’27 and Caleb Gold ’27.

RE qualifiers for the NSDA National Championship

Congressional Debate
  • Tyson Dalal ’26 – 3rd Place (House)
  • Phaedra Haralambides ’27 – 1st Alternate (House)
  • Evan Coulter ’27 – 1st Alternate (Senate)
Interpretation & Performance
  • Dylan Beyda ’27 – 1st Place, Humorous Interpretation
  • Jackson Berlin ’27 – 2nd Place, Humorous Interpretation
  • Lucas Sanchez ’27 – 2nd Place, Dramatic Interpretation
  • Stefano Kruger ’27 – 1st Place, Program of Oral Interpretation
Speech & Oratory
  • Reisha Yavagal ’26 – 1st Place, Original Oratory
  • Dylan Kantessari ’27 – 1st Place, Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking
  • Isabella Parisi ’27 – 2nd Place, Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking
  • Ria Bhandari ’27 – 1st Alternate, Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking
  • Ella Griffin ’27 – 1st Place, International Extemporaneous Speaking
  • Mateo Delgado ’27 – 2nd Place, International Extemporaneous Speaking
  • Matilda Barrack ’27 – 2nd Alternate, International Extemporaneous Speaking
Public Forum Debate
  • Giacomo Chinoy ’27 & Caleb Gold ’27 – 1st Place
  • Alexis Mosse ’27 & Axel Sirinyan ’27 – 2nd Place
  • Lyla Thurber ’27 & Lila Mosse ’27 – 1st Alternate
  • Trip Barrington ’27 & Noa Cramer ’27 – 2nd Alternate
RE students also excellent at the Florida Forensic League Varsity State Tournament at the University of Central Florida March 6-8. See results below:
 
Lucas Sanchez '27 got 2nd place Dramatic Interpretation
Jackson Berlin '27 got 2nd place in Humorous Interpretation
Mateo Delgado '27 got 2nd place in International Extemporaneous Speaking
Paola Maynulet '26 got 4th place in Original Oratory
Isa de Sabrit '28 got 6th place in International Extemporaneous Speaking
Chloe Zaldivar '26, Luisa Duarte '27 and Nick Torres '27 semi-finaled in World Schools Debate
Reed Gershman '26 semi-finaled in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking
Bella Parisi '27 semi-finaled in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking
Reisha Yavagal '27 semi-finaled in Duo Interpretation (alongside Emma Jolivert '27) and quarter-finaled in Original Oratory
Evan Coulter '27 semi-finaled in Congressional Debate
Joey Louis '28 semi-finaled in Congressional Debate
Emma Jolivert '27 semi-finaled in Duo Interpretation (alongside Reisha Yavagal '27)
Caleb Gold '27 and Giacomo Chinoy '27 quarter-finaled in Public Forum Debate
Ava Crowley '27 quarter-finaled in Original Oratory
Misha Gowda '28 quarter-finaled in Original Oratory
Lila Mosse '27 and Lyla Thurber '28 octo-finaled in Public Forum Debate
Noa Cramer '29 and Trip Barrington '29 octo-finaled in Public Forum Debate
Sofia Mena '27 and Julia Jacir '27 octo-finaled in Public Forum Debate
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Phone: 305 250 6850

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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. It is rated the top private school in Miami and among the 10 private schools in North America. 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.


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