19-05-2025
Three from Willmar High School Speech Team make finals in national tournament
May 19---- Students of the
Speech Team made history again at the National Individual Events Tournament of Champions with three competitors making it into the final rounds of their main categories.
Coach Andrew Tupa said it is the team's first time having finalists in the national competition, which was conducted May 15-18 in Kansas City, Missouri.
The success comes on the heels of Adamaris Moreno and Brandon Valladares bringing home
in April. The pair earned fourth place in duo interpretation in the national tournament, according to a news release from Tupa, amid more than 150 competitors in the category.
Alyson Johnson, the third team member to make the tournament finals, placed fourth in informative speaking and fifth in extemporaneous speaking — among nearly 200 competitors in each category.
Twelve Willmar Senior High School students competed across 23 different entries overall, which is the school's largest representation to date at a national tournament, according to the news release. Eight of those students qualified for later rounds, including the three who made the finals.
Lizveth Garcia Palma made the quarterfinals, or top 30, in the impromptu category.
Tangh Conklin and Brihanna Herrera made the octafinals, or top 60, in duet acting, and Brooklyn Pederson and Zavore Hunt made the same round in duo.
Others who qualified and competed in the national tournament were Ahnaly Morales, Eileen Bosch, Isaac Peterson and Jaiden Fredrickson.
The
will next compete in the 100th National Speech and Debate Association Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa, from June 15 to June 20.
