The Jackson Hole High School Speech and Debate Team continued its regular season wins with a third place finish at the Green River Invitational, with fourteen schools in attendance and over 300 individual entries. The Jackson team, under the coaching of Londe Gagnon and Peggy Gagnon, advanced several students to semi and final rounds and earned an overall 69 points for the team sweepstakes. Evanston took 2nd place earning just 1 point more while Riverton took 1st place.
Senior and team captain Alexis Hernandez found great success in his events. He placed 2nd in Extemporaneous Speaking. He then went on to team up with fellow team captain and senior Jheili Montiel Huerta to take 2nd in Public Forum Debate after moving through preliminary rounds undefeated.
Senior and team captain Julieta Anaya continued their triple threat status by reaching finals in all three events they entered this weekend. Anaya took home 4th in Poetry Interpretation and 5th in Program Oral Interpretation. They went on to team up with fellow senior, Blanca Sartillo in Duet Interpretation where the pair finished in 5th place.
Junior Lauren Guh-Siesel brought home the individual championship in novice Congressional Debate for the second tournament in a row. Senior Maya Worcester placed 4th in the varsity division of the event while senior Ventura Garcia Perez placed 5th.
Novice competitors on the Jackson team found great success at the tournament. Junior Melany Hernandez Garcia placed 4th in novice Dramatic Interpretation and freshman Finna Halsey brought home 5th place with her Original Oratory on the impacts and benefits of dual immersion learning models.
Sophomore Oscar Andersen finished in 6th place in varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate. He went on to reach semi finals in Extemporaneous Speaking. Garcia Perez reached semi finals in varsity Dramatic Interpretation and Sartillo reached semi finals in varsity Program Oral Interpretation.
Assistant Coach Peggy Gagnon summarized the weekend, saying, “ The diversity of the team in multiple events was apparent again at this tournament. Our hardworking, dedicated and talented individual students continue to display that they are supportive of each other and successful as a team.We are excited to grow as a team as our competitors in the state continue to challenge us.”
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