Students Earn Conference Speech and Debate Honors
Recently, Raytown High School and Raytown South High School students earned awards in their conference speech and debate tournaments.
Several Talking Bluejays placed and earned all-conference honors in their conference tournament. Honorees are listed below by event.
Tochi Ihekona and Shawn Hulen placed third and earned First Team All-Conference in Public Forum Debate.
Riley Harris and Billy Bettis placed fifth and earned Second Team All-Conference in Policy Debate.
Judy Batts placed seventh and earned Second Team All-Conference in Lincoln Douglas.
Sirneh Asangwe placed seventh and earned Second Team All-Conference in Dramatic Interpretation.
Tochi Ihekona and Shawn Hulen placed fourth and earned Second Team All-Conference in Duo Interpretation.
Angel Hernandez and Nahrya Williams placed fifth and earned Second Team All-Conference in Duo Interpretation.
Dallas Frazier placed fourth and earned Second Team All-Conference honors in Humorous Interpretation. Hannah Batts placed sixth and earned Second Team All-Conference honors in Humorous Interpretation.
Presley Stewart placed seventh and earned Second Team All-Conference in Informative Speaking.
Nya Vargas placed seventh and earned Second Team All-Conference in International Extemporaneous.
Dallas Frazier placed third and earned Second Team All-Conference in Original Oratory. Awah Asangwe placed seventh in Original Oratory.
Dominique Anderson placed sixth and earned Second Team All-Conference in Program Interpretation.
Sirneh Asangwe placed eighth and earned Second Team All-Conference in Storytelling.
Mesmariah Hall placed third and earned Second Team All-Conference in United States Extemporaneous. Billy Bettis placed eighth and earned Second Team All-Conference in United States Extemporaneous.
Additionally, Talking Bluejays who have qualified for the National tournament throughout the season include Judy Batts, Riley Harris, Shawn Hulen, and Tochi Ihekona.
The Raytown High School Speech and Debate team is coached by Zachary McGee and Taylor Ambrosi.
The Raytown South High School speech and debate team earned first place in their Conference tournament in both Individual Events and the Overall Sweepstakes.
Several Cardinals placed and earned all-conference honors in their conference tournament.
Jayme Thompson and Jamelia Smith placed first and earned First Team All-Conference honors in Policy Debate. Caleb Dillon and Breanna Bonner placed second and earned First Team All-Conference honors in Policy Debate.
Christjin Bell placed sixth and Candace Hayes placed eighth in Lincoln Douglas Debate.
Chinecherem Ihenacho and Tatyana Midgette placed third and earned First Team All-Conference honors in Public Forum Debate. Natasha Story and Zeus Deslouches placed seventh in Public Forum Debate.
Chinecherem Ihenacho placed third and earned Second Team All-Conference honors in United States Extemporaneous. Jamelia Smith placed fourth and earned Second Team All-Conference honors in United States Extemporaneous.
Jayme Thompson placed second and earned First Team All-Conference honors in International Extemporaneous. Nwa-San Deslouches placed fourth and earned Second Team All-Conference honors in in International Extemporaneous.
Caleb Dillon placed second and earned First Team All-Conference honors in the Congress event. Madison Ward placed fourth and earned First Team All-Conference honors in the Congress event.
Christjin Bell placed first and earned First Team All-Conference honors in Oratory. Elijah Brink placed fourth and earned Second Team All-Conference honors in Oratory.
Breanna Bonner placed first and earned First Team All-Conference honors in informative speaking. Tatyana Midgette placed fifth in informative speaking.
Natasha Story placed first and earned First Team All-Conference honors in humorous interpretation. Darrien Butler placed second and earned First Team All-Conference honors in Humorous Interpretation.
John Overfield placed first and earned First Team All-Conference honors in Dramatic Interpretation. Kali Ellis placed second and earned First Team All-Conference honors in Dramatic Interpretation.
Natasha Story and Kali Ellis placed second and earned First Team All-Conference honors in the Duo event. John Overfield and KJ Collins placed third and earned Second Team All-Conference honors in the Duo event.
Trinity Houts placed first and earned First Team All-Conference honors in Program of Oral Interpretation. Skyler Lea placed second and earned First Team All-Conference honors in Program of Oral Interpretation.
KJ Collins placed first and earned First Team All-Conference honors in Storytelling. Darrien Butler placed third and earned First Team All-Conference honors in Storytelling.
Raytown South High School students who have qualified for the National tournament throughout the season include Breanna Bonner and Trinity Mae Houts.
Students at both high schools still have additional opportunities to qualify for the National tournament before the end of the season.
The Raytown South High School Speech and Debate team is coached by Maureen Thomas and assistant coaches Michael Daniels, Helene Slinker, and Austin Steeley.