Speech and debate students qualify for national tournament

Speech and debate students from Flathead, Glacier, Columbia Falls and Whitefish high schools are headed to nationals following the District Qualifying Tournament in Whitefish.  

Double qualifiers must vacate one event as they may only compete in one event at nationals. If any national qualifiers cannot attend the summer tournament alternates will have the opportunity to compete.  

Flathead qualifiers are: Fenton Liebe-Cohen in U.S. Extemporaneous Speaking, Bronson Willcut in Program Oral Interpretation, Mitchell Johnson in Congress — House, Kaylee Hampton in Congress — Senate and B. Poitra in Congress — House. Collin Olson qualified in both Dramatic Interpretation and Duo Interpretation with Jaydon Pesola. They vacated their Duo Interpretation slot. Jake Milone also qualified for two events, International Extemporaneous Speaking and U.S. Extemporaneous Speaking. He chose to vacate his U.S. Extemporaneous slot. Jack Blodgett automatically qualified to compete in World Schools Debate for his previous performance at last year’s nationals. Students from other schools did as well.  

Flathead’s first alternates include Ada Milner in Program Oral Interpretation, Claire Timm in Original Oratory and Liebe-Cohen in International Extemporaneous Speaking. Second alternates are Layna Astley and Lindy Porter in Duo Interpretation, Miles Kuss in Humorous Interpretation and Garrison Burger and Vikram Vatti in Public Forum Debate. Third alternates include Porter in Program Oral Interpretation, Kuss and Jasper Wilde in Duo Interpretation, Timm in Informative Speaking, Padmaja Vatti in Big Questions Debate and Abigail O'Connell and Fin Reed in Public Forum Debate  

National qualifiers from Glacier are: Calvin Casey in Program Oral Interpretation and Josh Lee in Congressional Debate-Senate. He will vacate the slot to compete in World Schools Debate, which he automatically qualified for along with Kennady Garvin.  

First alternates from the Glacier team include Owen Carpenter in Congressional Debate-Senate, Asher Stanfield and Jude Sparkman in Public Forum Debate and Eli Sanderson Strutz in Humorous Interpretation. Second alternates are Anya Rountree in Program Oral Interpretation and Anya Denmark in Lincoln-Douglas Debate.      

Columbia Falls qualifiers are Reed Wollenzien and Kory Moran in Duo Interpretation. First alternates include Boone Shanks and Quinn Caudle in Policy Debate. Celestine Young is the third alternate for Lincoln Douglas Debate.  

Whitefish national qualifiers are Jake Dunker and Vana Fortune in Policy Debate, Astir Pulsifer in Original Oratory and Scarlet Burke in Informative Speaking. Alternates for the Whitefish team include Iona Sarraille in Program Oral Interpretation and David Losee in International and U.S. Extemporaneous Speaking.  

When looking at overall team scores, Hellgate finished first with 35 points; Flathead placed second with 34 points and Sentinel in third with 32.    

Trophies were also awarded to top teams for overall performances in Congress, speech and debate events.   

In Congress events, Flathead took first place. Butte took second and Glacier third place. Flathead also brought home the hardware for its first-place finish in speech events, followed by Sentinel. Butte placed third. In debate events, Hellgate took first, Sentinel, second and Glacier, third.  

Flathead also received the National Speech and Debate Association’s Leading Chapter Award. According to the association, 3% of member schools receive the award, which is based on student participation.  

Fundraising efforts are underway to get students to the National Speech and Debate Association National Tournament scheduled June 15 through 21 in Des Moines, Iowa.  

People who would like to donate may contact the respective high schools.  

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.