At the final in-person in-state tournament of the year, the 2025 Florida Forensic League Novice State Championship, members of the Wellington Speech & Debate Team won accolades and recognition, earned advanced degrees, and walked away from John I. Leonard loud and proud!
In Congressional Debate, freshman Riley Hidalgo-Gato advanced to the final round, placing in the top 16 out of more than 120 first-year debaters in the event, while sophomore Leonardo Fernandez Castillo broke to semifinal rounds and was named the top presiding officer in his preliminary chamber.
Senior first-year Lincoln Douglas Debate student Colten Pride went 3-2 in preliminary rounds before falling in a split decision in the double octofinal round of his event.
Wellington earned four new National Speech & Debate Association degree. Freshman Caden Sahlberg passed the 150-point mark, earning the Degree of Excellence, while both freshman Jazzlyn Capellan and junior Sara Akif each earned their Degree of Honor (75+ points). They will receive their varsity letters at the upcoming debate banquet. (Senior Arthur Hu-Manning also earned a new degree this week, the Degree of Distinction, hitting the 250-point mark during Spontaneous Argumentation rounds in class.)