At the final awards ceremony of 2025 on Saturday, “Wellington” was announced early and often in the John I. Leonard High School cafeteria.Here comes a lengthy list of successes.
In Duo Interpretation, the varsity team of Alexa Charlot & Lara Terragno took home first-place honors, while the novice team of Julianna Castro & Arafat Shah took fourth place in their division.
In Informative Speaking, Gwen Brazzale placed first overall.
In Oral Interpretation of Literature, Wellington’s Genesis Cabrera, Gwen Brazzale, Gwendolyn Mace, and Loreley Fajardo placed third, fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively.
In Extemporaneous Speaking, Emily Toole placed first in the novice division, while Lily Bieber took fourth in the varsity division.
Izzy Parissos placed third in Dramatic Performance, and Michael Diaz took fifth in Impromptu Speaking.
In Congressional Debate, six Red Dawn Debaters took home Chambers Choice Presiding Officer gavels – three in varsity chambers (Leonardo Fernandez Castillo, Riley Hidalgo-Gato, and Richard Tanton), and three in novice chambers (Mirellah Farias, Zachary Greene, and Ashley Toole). As far as final chamber places, 12 students took home hardware. Among the novices, Ashley Toole placed first, Tehila Azulay second, and Djane Mondesir fourth. Three debaters – Alice Arteaga, Mirellah Farias, and Noah Osborn – each took fifth place, while Abigail Steller and Alexander Suarez Paz each finished sixth. Varsity students earning bling were Aliah Oliva (second), Riley Hidalgo-Gato (third), Leonardo Fernandez Castillo (fourth), and Richard Tanton (fourth).
Wellington earned eight new National Speech & Debate Association Honor Society degrees, including six new members.Surpassing 250 points and earning the Degree of Distinction was Genesis Cabrera. Passing the 150-point mark, and earning the Degree of Excellence, was Ben Dufour. And six students – Jean Cho, Djane Mondesir, Noah Osborn, Abigail Steller, Alexander Suarez Paz, and Azalia Young – each became NSDA members, earning the Degree of Merit.