Speech and Debate Champions in California; Mock Trial Winners in the Midwest
Jan 24, 2022
ModernBrain Speech and Debate began 2022 with our most successful month of competition yet.
Speech and Debate Tournament Updates
We dominated the Professional Speech and Debate Association's January tournament.
- Bluebelle was the CHAMPION in Junior Interpretation.
- Peyton was the CHAMPION in Junior Debate. Sarah was the runner-up.
- Sarah was the CHAMPION in Junior Impromptu.
- Sarah/Lily were the CHAMPIONS in Junior Team Debate.
- Pyron was the runner-up in Elementary Debate.
We were the #1 academy at the Bixby tournament (a qualifier for the National Individual Event Tournament of Champions).
- Emily was the Declamation CHAMPION, Luna was 2nd, and Grace was 3rd.
- Shirley was the Informative CHAMPION, earning a bid to the NIETOC.
- Ashley L. was the POI CHAMPION, earning a bid to the NIETOC; Ashley D. was 2nd.
- Audrey got 4th in Humorous; Luna got 5th in Oratory.
There were 108 schools from 18 states at the James Logan tournament (a qualifier for the NIETOC, Kentucky Tournament of Champions, and Extemp Tournament of Champions). We won more championships than any other team in attendance.
- Grace was the CHAMPION, Luna was 2nd, and Meera was 5th in Middle School Declamation.
- Grace was the CHAMPION (Dramatic) and 4th (Humorous) in combined Middle School Interp.
- Luna was the CHAMPION in Middle School Platform.
- Luna was the CHAMPION, Eric was 3rd, Karis was 4th, and Isabella was 5th in Middle School SPAR.
- Swadesh was the RUNNER-UP in National Extemp (out of 53), earning a NIETOC, Extemp TOC, and TOC bid.
- Swadesh was 5th in Oratory (out of 122), earning a NIETOC and TOC bid. Ashley D. made quarterfinals, earning a NIETOC and TOC bid.
- Ashley D. made semifinals for POI.
- Brielle and Meera made semifinals for Middle School Impromptu.
- Austin and Annie made octofinals in Middle School Public Forum.
- Congratulations to our other private students, who earned NIETOC and TOC bids in their categories.
There were 150 schools from 26 states at the Peninsula tournament (another qualifier for the NIETOC and Kentucky TOC). We won more championships than any other team in attendance.
- Ethan and Sarah were CO-CHAMPIONS (closed out 1st and 2nd) in novice Lincoln-Douglas. Ulysses and Nason made octofinals, and Jolynn made doubles. Ulysses was the 5th place speaker.
- Ashley Lee was the POI CHAMPION, earning a TOC and NIETOC bid. Shirley was 3rd, earning a TOC bid. Krishnni was 4th. Grace was 6th.
- Swadesh was the Oratory CHAMPION, earning a NIETOC and TOC bid; Krishnni and Angelia made semifinals, earning NIETOC bids.
- Swadesh was the Extemp CHAMPION, earning a NIETOC and TOC bid.
- Alexis and Iva were the open middle school Policy CHAMPIONS. Ariel and Daniel made semifinals. Iva was the 1st place speaker. Alexis was 7th.
- Hans and Giovanna took 9th place in their novice middle school Policy division. Giovanna was the 8th place speaker.
- Karis and Isabella made quarters in novice Public Forum. Karis was the 1st place speaker, Leon was 7th, and Vivian was 8th.
- Meera took 4th in Impromptu; Izzie, Jason, and Shirley made semifinals.
- Grace took 5th place in Humorous and 5th place in Declamation.
Kerry and Lincoln advanced to semifinals at the Florida Sunvite tournament in Congress, earning bids to the TOC. Ashley D. advanced to semifinals in Oratory, earning a bid to the NIETOC.
Aaron made it to semifinals in Congress at the Arizona State University competition (reaching a varsity elimination round at his first tournament).
Our students have earned 135 first places/championships and 53 bids to the TOC and NIETOC since July of 2021.
Mock Trial Tournament Updates
The Valley International Prep mock trial team, coached by ModernBrain, was the only California squad to attend the University of Pennsylvania’s Benjamin Franklin Invitational tournament. Over 50 teams, nearly all of them from Pennsylvania and familiar with the Pennsylvania rules and judging pool, competed. After four rounds of mock trial, Valley International Prep’s students were named undefeated tournament runners-up (winning three rounds and splitting a fourth). We won ballots by a double-digit average, earning the best finish of any West Coast team in the competition’s history.
Rebecca (the prosecution closing attorney), Billy (the prosecution expert), and River (the defense closing attorney) were each a rank away from an individual award, while Olivia (the defense expert) was the #1 witness in her division, earning perfect ranks and placing above nearly 200 contestants.
