JACKSON, Wyo. — This past weekend, 19 Wyoming high schools competed at the National Speech and Debate Association’s District Tournament in Rock Springs, and five Jackson Hole High School (JHHS) students qualified to compete at the National Speech and Debate Association’s National Tournament in Iowa this June.
The JHHS team as a whole, earned fourth in the debate sweepstakes, second in the congress sweepstakes and fourth in the speech events sweepstakes at the tournament. In the overall sweepstakes Jackson took home fourth behind Riverton, Green River and Rock Springs.
Seniors Jackson Neishabouri, James Neishabouri, Melany Hernandez Garcia, junior Oscar Andersen and sophomore Finna Halsey will represent the Wind River NSDA District in Des Moines, Iowa to compete against the best in the nation at the National Tournament. This is the 27th consecutive year and the 37th overall year the team has qualified students for the national meet.
According to the JHHS Speech and Debate team, top competitors from across the country will gather to determine the national champion in each speech and debate event. The National Speech and Debate Association is an honor society that “promotes interscholastic debate, oratory and public speaking by encouraging a spirit of fellowship and by conferring upon deserving candidates a worthy badge of distinction.”
