Ripon High’s Speech and Debate Team recently held a tournament competition on Nov. 16. It was an all day event that let RHS students show off their skills and compete in hopes of taking home some awards. The event first started with a first round of speeches followed by a round of debates. The competition continued following 2 more rounds alternating between speeches and debates. These speeches and debates were intense, and really gave students an opportunity to prove why they deserve to come home with an award. The judges carefully reviewed and scored the material they were presented with just in time for the awarding ceremony. 

Samantha Loretelli successfully clinched 2nd place in Novice Dramatic Interpretation, along with Nicholas Martinez bringing home 2nd for Varsity Impromptu, and finally Aubree Lautenslager placing 3rd in Open Humerus Interpretation.

Sophomore Lupita Rodriguez says, “My first round was a bit stressful because it was my first time ever competing. I started to feel more confident in the later rounds. I really like my teammates, they’re really good people to be around and they made the whole tournament really fun and made it a lot more enjoyable.”

Together, the team was able to come together to cheer and encourage each other on while also showcasing their talents they’ve been crafting. Not only do they come together through their hard work, but also helped set up and clean for their tournament. The team is optimistic for more opportunities to arrive and also continues to work hard for further competitions to come.