Several ISD Students Qualify for State Speech and Debate Including History-Making Van Horn Duo

For the first time in more than 30 years, a policy debate team from Van Horn High School qualified for the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) State Speech and Debate Tournament.  Junior Tristian Stickle and Chloe Trimble, freshman, defeated teams from Pembroke Hill, Lincoln College Preparatory Academy, Raytown South and Grandview in preliminary rounds and placed third overall to join other ISD qualifiers for state competition April 24-25 on the campus of Missouri State University in Springfield.

Truman High School had six qualifiers. In speech, Amy Ramirez qualified in Original Oratory, Karly Kinsey and Alex Millard in Duet Acting and Teala Sadler in Poetry Reading. In Policy Debate, Derek Allgood and Elijah Rojas defeated several teams, including Blue Springs South in the qualifying round, and finished third to punch their ticket to state.

Meanwhile, three members of William Chrisman’s competitive debate and drama team qualified for state. Tim Paxton finished first in Humorous Interpretation, Claire Cook took first in Prose and Shawn Bunce finished second in Radio Speaking. Chrisman’s Sarah Daniel also had a strong showing, finishing fifth in Original Oratory.