Westridge School’s Speech & Debate Team Conquers Online Tournament Format, Many Qualify for Prestigious National Competition

The Westridge Speech and Debate Team has now been competing in online tournaments for more than a year, and the team has met the challenge with great success! Last March, tournaments moved online and students competed in both real-time and recorded video competitions. This year, they have taken advantage of the opportunity to virtually compete in out-of-state tournaments they wouldn’t normally participate in and proved that they hold their own against competitors across the country.

Congratulations to the team on their many accomplishments this spring, including placing third as a team at the National Qualifier Tournament, the State Qualifier Tournament, and the Bruschke Invitational Tournament at CSU Fullerton. Many students won individual awards, including 11 students who qualified to compete at the prestigious Grand National tournament in June and eight students who qualified to compete at the California State Championship at the end of April.

Congratulations to the following students who received individual recognition at tournaments this spring:

National Qualifier Tournament
The following students have qualified to compete at the prestigious Grand Nationals in June, where there will be 200-400 competitors in each category. The team placed third overall in the speech division at this tournament.

• Shania B. ’21 – United States Extemporaneous
• Evelyn C. ’21 – Original Oratory
• Juliana F. ’22 – Humorous Interpretation
• Cassandra K. ’20 – Original Oratory
• Simone K. ’21 – Program Oral Interpretation
• Grace N. ’23 – Humorous Interpretation
• Cara W. ’21 – International Extemporaneous
• Ariana A. ’23 – Dramatic Interpretation (1st alternate)
• Sophie C. ’22– Public Forum Debate (1st alternate)
• Morgan H. ’23 – Congressional House (2nd alternate)
• Katelyn S. ’22 – Public Forum Debate (1st alternate)

State Qualifier Tournament
The following students qualified to compete at the California State Championship at the end of April. The team won third place in their division at this tournament.

• Ariana A. ’23 – Dramatic Interpretation
• Charisma C. ’22 – Original Prose & Poetry Interpretation
• Claire C. ’24 – Public Forum Debate
• Simone K. ’21 – Program Oral Interpretation
• Celine L. ’24 – Public Forum Debate
• Grace N. ’23 – Humorous Interpretation
• Kat N. ’23 – Humorous Interpretation
• Cara W. ’21 – International Extemporaneous (1st alternate)

National Individual Events Tournament of Champions Qualifier Tournament
This tournament is for speech-only nationals (no debate events) where students had to qualify by obtaining bids at specific tournaments and ranking highly in at least three final rounds.

• Shania B. ’21 – Extemporaneous Speaking
• Evelyn C. ’21 – Original Oratory
• Evelyn C. ’21 – Informative Speaking
• Juliana F. ’22 – Humorous Interpretation
• Simone K. ’21 – Program Oral Interpretation
• Grace N. ’23 – Humorous Interpretation
• Kat N. ’23 – Humorous Interpretation
• Cara W. ’21 – Extemporaneous Speaking

Bruschke Invitational Tournament at CSU Fullerton
The team placed third overall at this tournament!

• Ella B. ’25 – Middle School Oratorical Interpretation 3rd Place
• Ella B. ’25 – Middle School Original Oratory 2nd Place
• Adelaide C. ’26 – Middle School Public Forum Speaker 1st Place
• Adelaide C ’26 – Public Forum Debate 2nd Place
• Claire C ’24 – Public Forum Debate Semifinalist
• Sophie C. ’25 – Public Forum Debate Semifinalist
• Sophie C. ’25 – Middle School Public Forum Speaker 4th Place
• Stephanie C. ’25 – Public Forum Debate Semifinalist
• Emerson F. ’26 – Middle School Original Oratory 6th Place
• Morgan H. ’23 – Informative Speaking 5th Place
• Kaitlyn H. ’25 – Parliamentary Debate 2nd Place
• Kanon I. ’26 – Congressional Debate Finalist
• Saba K. ’25 – Novice Oratorical Interpretation 1st Place
• Celine L. ’24 – Public Forum Speaker 3rd Place
• Celine L. ’24 – Public Forum Debate Semifinalist
• Mia M.-W. ’24 – Public Forum Debate 1st Place
• Mia M.-W. ’24 – Public Forum Speaker 1st Place
• Micaela R. ’26 – Middle School Public Forum Speaker 2nd Place
• Micaela R. ’26 – Public Forum Debate Quarterfinalist
• Elizabeth W ’24 – Novice Public Forum Debate 1st Place
• Grace W ’25 – Public Forum Debate 2nd Place
• Grace W. ’26 – Middle School Public Forum Speaker 8th Place
• Olivia W. ’26 – Public Forum Debate Quarterfinalist
• Tanya W. ’24 – Public Forum Debate 1st Place
• Tanya W. ’24 – Public Forum Speaker 5th Place
• Linda Y. ’25 – Parliamentary Debate 2nd Place
• Katherine Y ’24 – Novice Public Forum Debate 1st Place

Async Hurricane Invitational Tournament
Students did well in their third asynchronous tournament option this year.

• Ella B. ’25 – Impromptu Speaking 5th Place
• Shania B. ’21 – Extemporaneous 2nd Place
• Juliana F. ’22 – Humorous Interpretation 5th Place
• Morgan H. ’23 – Informative Speaking 5th Place
• Cassandra K. ’20 – Original Oratory 1st Place
• Simone K. ’21 – Program Oral Interpretation 1st Place
• Kat N. ’23 – Humorous Interpretation 6th Place
• Cara W. ’21 – Extemporaneous 3rd Place

Westridge School, 324 Madeline Drive, Pasadena, (626) 799-1053 ext. 200 or visit www.westridge.org.