Debaters Make Cases, Take Honors at State Tourney

Roosevelt seniors Jenna Pokorny and Elena Hildebrandt were crowned State Champions in Public Forum Debate .

The 2015 Iowa High School Speech Association State Debate Tournament took place at the Des Moines Area Community College’s Ankeny Campus January 9th and 10th.

Des Moines Public Schools was well-represented by teams ranging from perennial powerhouse Roosevelt to the newly formed team at North in its first year of IHSSA competition. East and Lincoln were also entered.

Roosevelt seniors Jenna Pokorny and Elena Hildebrandt were crowned State Champions in Public Forum Debate. The Riders’ Ted Appel and Andy Anderson were Semi-Finalists in that category.

Jacob Thompson, also of Roosevelt, was named State Runner-Up in Student Congress and his teammate Henry Wibner placed 4th in that category. Lincoln’s Ashley May placed 5th, East’s Timothy Kirchoff was 6th and Roosevelt’s Daniel Drane came in 7th.

Overall, with 31 schools from across the state attending, Roosevelt placed 2nd, Lincoln place 15th and East placed 18th.

Other performances of note:

Roosevelt

• Dahlia Callistein and Ellie Konfrst:  Octo-Finalists in Public Forum
• Nour Saïda Harzallah and Rachel Wade: Quarter-Finalists in Lincoln Douglas
• Jacob Appel and Sophie Phillips: Quarter-Finalists in Policy Debate

East

• Arlette Uribe: recognized as Senator of Excellence.

Lincoln

• Josie O’Connor-Miller: Octo-Finalist in Lincoln Douglas
• Phylicia Brown: recognized as Senator of Excellence
• Everett Reed: Champion of 2nd Consolation House of Student Congress

Congratulations to all of the case-makers!