By: Grady Hofeditz and Charlie Tobler
Although the Bishop Kelly second-semester Speech & Debate Tournaments have been few in number, they have been high quality, showcasing the team’s dedication and skill. At the first tournament of the semester, The Capital Aerie Royale, hosted at Capital High School, BK competitors performed exceptionally well in both speeches and debate events.
From the speech side, the top six BK finishers were Claire Charrier, Nick Ciovacco, Hannah Pinkerton, Ali Putz, Kate Revier, and Emma Torkelson. In individual events, Ethan Emmons was an impressive second place overall in After Dinner Speaking, while Mullai Subramaniyan also claimed second place overall in Original Oratory.
Meanwhile, on the debate side of the Capital Aerie Royale, Charlie Tobler and Emma Torkelson made it to the elimination rounds, breaking into the House for Congress Finals—a significant achievement in a competitive field, as only the top 16 debaters out of 55 advance to the final round.
The second tournament of the semester was the highly competitive National District Qualifier. This tournament is always a meaningful and important event for the team, as it offers students the chance to qualify for the National Tournament, which will be hosted in Iowa this June. This tournament is typically one of the toughest to place in, as only about one competitor per 15 entries earns a qualifying spot. Despite this challenge, however, BK secured an impressive four national qualifiers:
- Mullai Subramaniyan — Nationally qualified in Original Oratory!
- Jack Kartel — Nationally qualified in United States Extemporaneous Speaking!
- Charlie Tobler & Grady Hofeditz — Nationally qualified in Public Forum Debate!
Looking ahead to later in the season, BK’s next tournament is the District Debate Tournament, scheduled for this weekend (February 21-22). This competition will determine which students qualify for the State Championship, making it a pivotal moment in the season, potentially marking the end of the Debate Season for some. All the three debate events, Congress, Lincoln-Douglas, and Public Forum, will see strong representation from BK.
As over the past few weeks, the team has been working tirelessly—both in and out of the classroom—honing their arguments, refining their strategies, and preparing for the rigorous rounds ahead.
After districts and the state tournament, the final stretch of the season will bring a shift in focus, as competitors will turn their attention to memorized speech events, allowing them to showcase their outstanding yapping skills.
The Bishop Kelly Newspaper 