AVHS Qualifies Students to NSDA Grand National Tournament

On March 11th and 12th, the Apple Valley Speech Team competed at the Central Minnesota NSDA District Tournament to qualify students to the National Speech and Debate Association National Tournament this summer in Salt Lake City, Utah. AVHS took 22 students to the competition for preliminary rounds on Friday. AVHS had the most students break into elimination rounds with 17 of those students advancing to the semi-final round and 15 of them advancing to the final round of competition at the district tournament! At the end of the tournament on Saturday, AVHS qualified the most students out of all schools competing at the district tournament! 12 AVHS students have qualified to the NSDA National Tournament by placing in the top three of his or her event. They join the 3 AVHS Debate team students who have already qualified for the national tournament back in December. 

 

AVHS Speech and Debate team students qualifying for the NSDA National Tournament are:

In Original Oratory: 

1st place - Marlena Santos

2nd place - Yassin Abasher

3rd place - Jane Michaelson

In Duo Interpretation:

1st place - Cassandra Edlund & Trevor Taylor

2nd place - Stephanie Kahle & Moti Begna

AUTO QUALIFIERS - Claire Doty & Lauren

Troldahl (based on their semi-final finish last year at nationals)

In Dramatic Interpretation:

3rd place - Felipe Escudero

In Informative Speaking:

1st place - Sarah Grambo

2nd place - Trinity Ek

NOTE: Cassandra Edlund took 1st place in Program Oral Interpretation (POI) and Stephanie Kahle took 2nd place in Humorous Interpretation at the competition. Since they technically "double qualified" for nationals, they will be going to nationals in Duo Interpretation. 

In Lincoln Douglas Debate: (already qualified for nationals from the competition in December)

1st place - Sophie Ober

2nd place - John Boals

3rd place - Claire Hoffa

NOTE: Apple Valley High School won the District Debate sweepstakes plaque back in December, placing 1st out of all teams competing at the Central MN District Debate Qualifying Tournament. AVHS also won the District Speech sweepstakes plaque this weekend, placing first out of all teams competing at the Central MN District Speech Qualifying Tournament. As a result, AVHS won the overall combined Speech and Debate District Sweepstakes Award based on the results from all the district tournaments in Speech, Debate, and Congress!