The November 2019 PBCFL was good to the Wellington Speech & Debate Team, as a number of competitors came away with hardware.
Three members of the Red Dawn Debaters took home first-place trophies: Jaiden Blinston in Dramatic Performance; Maddie Kaplan in Congressional Debate; and Isabella Tombari in Novice Oral Interpretation. In addition, two Congressional Debate legislators – Chelsea Gutierrez and Shaida Meier – each won Chamber’s Choice gavels as the top Presiding Officers in their respective chambers.
In Congress, four more Wellington legislators were recognized: Carolina Aguilera-Garza placed second, Liam MacMahon third, Jenalyn Spies fourth, and Jakob Lefkowitz fifth.
Nicholas Raney took second place in Extemporaneous Speaking, and Leslie Diaz was sixth in Lincoln Douglas Debate. And the Novice Public Forum Debate team of Ray Estevez and Jason Miller went 3-1 and finished eighth overall.
Six debaters earned new or advanced National Speech & Debate Association membership degrees. Megan Gonzales-Mugaburu earned her Degree of Distinction, passing the 250-point mark, while Leslie Diaz earned her Degree of Excellence by surpassing the 150-point plateau. Four debaters – Devaaun Blackwood, Ray Estevez, Jakob Lefkowitz, and Jaden Manrodt – each earned their NSDA certificate.