Schools

Speech Team at South High School in Downers Grove Receives National Recognition

The Speech and Debate team at South High School in Downers Grove received the "School of Excellence Award" at the 2012 National Forensic League (NFL) National Tournament, which was held June 10-15, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Speech and Debate team at in Downers Grove received the “School of Excellence Award” at the 2012 National Forensic League (NFL) National Tournament, which was held June 10-15, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The award recognizes the top schools in Speech and Debate. With 60 accumulated break rounds of competition, the speech team was one of only 13 schools in the nation to receive the recognition.

“This has been an extraordinary finish to an incredible speech season,” says Head Coach and NFL Sponsor Jan Heiteen. “I could not be prouder of this team and the legacy they leave as performers and leaders.”

Billy Chengary and Michelle McCarthy, both of whom graduated this year, advanced to the national final round in “Duo Interpretation,” finishing fourth in the nation, besting hundreds of competitors in the category. Dan Leahy and Mariah Copeland won quarter-finalist awards in the same event. 

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Erin M. Walsh finished in the top 14 Prose and Erin C. Walsh and Ammar Kalimullah were both octa-finalists in their events.

Also competing for the team were Colleen DeRosa, Lian Lucansky, Natasha Prosek.  Representing the team in debate were Dhara Puvar, Supal Mehta, Nick Tannenbaum, Mitch Bild and Jack LeBaron.

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Coach Elighie Wilson was also honored at the Coaches Diamond Ceremony with his second diamond for coaching. 

In addition to Heiteen and Wilson, traveling with the team were Christopher Blum, Justin Matkovich and Jennifer Hernandez.

More than 3,200 students participated in the 2012 NFL National Tournament, billed as the world's largest academic competition. The event drew visitors from across the country and as far away as China. Top performers take home more than $200,000 in college scholarships.

The NFL is a not-for-profit honorary society whose mission is to promote high school and middle school speech and debate activities as a means to develop a student’s essential life skills and values. More than 112,000 high school and middle school students, representing more than 2,900 schools nationwide, are currently building their communication, leadership, cognitive, and presentational skills as members. Since 1925, more than 1.3 million students have found their voice in the NFL. For more information, visit www.nflonline.org.


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