Fifteen Red Dawn Debaters took home hardware from their stellar performances at the second Palm Beach Catholic Forensic League tournament of the 2024-25 season Saturday, October 5.
Novice Congressional Debate was a slew of trophies presented to Wellington students. Leonardo Fernandez Castillo and Aliah Oliva each placed first overall in their chambers, while both Kathryn Polcz and Colten Pride placed third in their respective chambers. Sebastian DeCastro, Anthony Morgan, and Chloe Wijngaarde each placed fourth, while both Janelle Galindo and Caden Sahlberg placed sixth. Both Willow Monson and Riley Hidalgo-Gato earned gavels for their performance as presiding officers, with Monson placing fifth in her chamber as well.
In Varsity Congressional Debate, Patrick McDermott placed first overall and was named the chamber’s top presiding officer, and Beckett Brent placed second.
In Declamation, Gwen Brazzale and Loreley Fajardo placed first and second, respectively.
Wellington earned ten new National Speech & Debate Association Honor Society degrees. Elisa Syla earned her Degree of Distinction, surpassing 250 points, while nine first-year students – Sebastian DeCastro, Leonardo Fernandez Castillo, Riley Hidalgo-Gato, Willow Monson, Anthony Morgan, Colten Pride, Caden Sahlberg, Jesse Santos, and Emanuel Vallejo Gonzalez – earned the Degree of Merit and NSDA membership.