Speech and Debate Team
Seniors star at Blue Key speech and debate
Four RE seniors gave Ransom Everglades one of its best weekends in speech and debate in recent memory: Noah Gold ’22 and Zach Marcus ’22 earned co-champion honors in Varsity Public Forum at the virtual Florida Blue Key Speech and Debate Tournament October 29-31, and they were joined by Sophia Rubinstein ’22 and Eva Tariko ’22 among the top eight speakers at the prestigious tournament that drew teams from around the nation. The four seniors also earned full bids to the end-of-season Tournament of Champions April 23-25 in Lexington, Ken.
Marcus and Gold topped a field of more than 90 public forum entrants as Tariko and Rubinstein won the round robin among 12 invited teams that took place on October 29. Marcus earned the fourth-place Speaker Award and Rubinstein, Gold and Tariko earned sixth, seventh and eighth places, respectively.
All were led by team coach Kate Hamm at the virtual event hosted by the University of Florida. The victory was extra special for Marcus and Gold as they won the Novice Public Forum event at the same tournament as freshmen three years ago.
Members of the speech and debate team had some other strong finishes at a number of recent tournaments. At the Yale University Invitational 2021 in September, Dashiell DeStefano ’22 became the first ever congressional debater from Ransom Everglades to reach the final chamber, finishing in 11th place overall.
All were led by team coach Kate Hamm at the virtual event hosted by the University of Florida. The victory was extra special for Marcus and Gold as they won the Novice Public Forum event at the same tournament as freshmen three years ago.
Members of the speech and debate team had some other strong finishes at a number of recent tournaments. At the Yale University Invitational 2021 in September, Dashiell DeStefano ’22 became the first ever congressional debater from Ransom Everglades to reach the final chamber, finishing in 11th place overall.
At the Nova Titan Tournament, Jessica Weinstein ’22 placed second in Dramatic Interpretation; Nicole Rodriguez ’22 and Cecilia Granda-Scott ’22 tied for third in Public Forum; and Mikey Zoi ’24 and Ian Fox ’24 placed second in JV Public Forum.
At the Catholic Forensic League 1 Tournament, Alba Uriarte ’22 placed second and Trent Mopsick ’23 third in Informative Speaking; in Public Forum, Lara Semerci ’23 and Oliver Segal ’23 took first place and Jackson McAliley ’23 and Marco Zhao ’23 placed third. Alexandra Henriquez ’22 placed first in Program of Oral Interpretation, and David Dubovy ’22 placed third in Congressional Debate.
At the Ad Astra Constellation Tournament in September, Jacob Katz ’24 placed second and David Dubovy ’22 placed third in Congressional Debate; in Public Forum, Leticia Crosby ’23 and Dylan Miner ’23 placed first, Veronica Kerr ’23 and Mae Signorello ’23 placed second, and Thomas Crowley ’23 and Varun Raju ’23 placed third. Anya Dua '22 placed third in Extemporaneous Speaking; Chloe Alfonso ’23 placed first and Carmen Sanchez Tembleque Wood ’23 placed third in Informative Speaking; Lauren Page ’24 placed first and Sindhu Talluri ’25 placed second in Novice Extemporaneous; and Tomas Griffin ’25 and Max Salomon ’24 placed first and T.J. Malone ’24 and Danny Mendelson ’24 placed third in Novice Public Forum.
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2045 South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 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. 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.