By GABRIELLE SHIOZAWA
Moapa Valley Progress
The campus of the Moapa Valley High School is typically quiet and empty on the weekends. But last weekend, the hallways of the school were filled with politics, performances, and students clad in business attire. It was the MVHS Speech and Debate team hosting its annual home tournament.
More than 160 speakers and debaters traveled to Logandale from eight Las Vegas schools to participate in the competition. Fourteen members of the Pirate team took part in Friday and Saturday’s events.
Two preliminary rounds of speech events were held on Friday afternoon, followed by finals. Five MVHS speakers advanced. Ashlyn Western and Grady Call placed third in Novice Duo Interpretation, while Benjamin Leavitt took fifth in Domestic Extemporaneous. Sedona Thomas and Gabrielle Shiozawa placed first and fourth, respectively, in Original Oratory.
On Saturday, Novice Lincoln Douglas debater True Jarrel competed in four preliminary rounds before progressing to finals, where she placed second. In Congressional Debate (House and Senate), results were pulled from the collective scores of three preliminary sessions. In Novice House, Samuel Jolley and Payne Morrow placed fourth and fifth, respectively. Aubrey Aikele took first place in the same event. In Senate, Benjamin Leavitt placed second.
The MVHS team placed third in the school sweepstakes after Green Valley High School and Northwest Career and Technical Academy.
During the awards ceremony, MVHS Debate presidents Morgan Aikele and Sedona Thomas presented a gift from the team to Coach Randall Brinker.
“There are no words adequate enough to thank you for all you’ve done for us,” Thomas told Brinker.
The Speech and Debate team would like to express gratitude to the parents, community members, and Rotary club affiliates who offered support by preparing food, running concessions, and judging events at this tournament.
