Alex Beveridge, a national qualifier, is an example of the recent growth and success of East High debate under coach Samuel Juhl.

Des Moines is becoming ground zero of high school debate.

The National Speech and Debate Tournament is being held here for the next two years. Roosevelt High School came away with top honors at the recent Iowa Forensics League State Championship. And at East High School, they are home to the best coach in the state.

Samuel Juhl, who teaches science at East, was named Coach of the Year by the Iowa Forensics League.

Coach of the Year honors are determined by nominations from students, coaches, and parents, with each head debate coach in the state then casting a rank choice ballo. Juhl was nominated by one of his students, Alex Beveridge, and another DMPS coach, Parker Klyn of Roosevelt.

Juhl credits both the recent successes of East’s team as well as his work in hosting Des Moines area tournaments for being honored by his peers.

“The East team has done really well in congressional debate in the three years I have been coach,” noted Juhl. “At the Iowa Forensic League State tournament, we have placed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd four times in the last three years, which is more than any other school in the state.”

The Scarlets also won the West Iowa District Congressional debate Senate tournament all three years he’s been coach and have branched out to competing in more events. Some examples of recent accomplishments by East debaters include:

• Alex Beveridge was part of a world schools’ team which finished as tri-octa finalists at the national speech and debate tournament in 2024;
• Alex also competes in congressional debate where he has placed third (2024), was state runner-up (2023), and is a national tournament qualifier (2024);
• Josue Aleman was a two-time state runner-up (2022, 2023) and state champion (2023) in congressional debate as well as a two-time national qualifier over the course of his career (2022,2023);
• Annie Warsame was the fourth-place original oratory at the IFL state tournament (2024).

Success breeds success, which has led to growth in the team at East High.

“When I took over as coach, we had no returning members but this year we have 15 students who are consistently competing in a variety of events,” added Juhl.