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More than 20 qualify for speech and debate championships

More than 20 RE speech and debate students qualified for the 2024 National Speech and Debate Association National Championship with stellar performances at the March 15-18 district qualifying tournament at Ransom Everglades. The national tournament will be held June 16-21 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Under Coach Kate Hamm, 15 Raiders earned first-place finishes: Claudia Colina '25, Carlos Del Cañal Fernandez '25, the team of Francesca Lopez '24 and Hannah Risin '25, Bridget Mestepey '26, Eduardo Michelsen '25, Lilah Murphy '27, the team of Varun Raju '24 and Thomas Crowley '24, and the team of Mia Bouyoucef '25, Luciana Pardo '25, Anya Bhandari '25, Minnie Zhou '26, Jillian Demos-Brown '25.
Full results below:
 
Congressional Debate House: Second place (qualifier) - Sophia Linfield '26, First Alternate - Zarah Rizvi '27 
Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking: Champion - Eduardo Michelsen '25, First Alternate - Reed Gershman '26
Dramatic Interpretation of Literature: Champion - Claudia Colina '25
Duo Interpretation of Literature: Second place (qualifier) - Daniela Garcia '26 and Miranda Silva '26, First Alternate - Jillian Demos-Brown '25 and Kayra Serpenguzel '25
Humorous Interpretation of Literature: Champion - Lilah Murphy '27, Second place (qualifier)- Gustavo Do Valle '26, First Alternate - Bea Alves De Lima '26
Informative Speaking: Champion - Bridget Mestepey '26, Second place (qualifier)- Jack He '25, First Alternate - David Martinez '25
International Extemporaneous Speaking: (Unbreakable tie) Champions - Francesca Lopez '24 and Hannah Risin '25, First Alternate - John Wesley Griffin '26
Original Oratory: Champion - Carlos Del Canal Fernandez '25, Second place (qualifier) - Cianna Vengoechea Schiff '25
Program of Oral Interpretation: Champion - Claudia Colina '25, Second place (qualifier)- Lucas Sanchez '27
Public Forum Debate: Champions - Varun Raju '24 and Thomas Crowley '24, Second place (qualifier) Danny Mendelson '25 and Max Salomon '25
World Schools Debate: Mia Bouyoucef '25, Luciana Pardo '25, Anya Bhandari '25, Minnie Zhou '26, Jillian Demos Brown '25 
Speech Sweepstakes Award: Ransom Everglades
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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.