With a season that extends from October to March, the speech and debate team is nearly finished with their 2011-12 schedule as they prepare to travel to their culminating event in Rock Springs this weekend.  The team will be heading to Sweetwater County with some momentum after a successful run in Riverton this past weekend where Jared Johnson and Quinn Robbins qualified to compete in the national tournament to be held in Indianapolis, Indiana June 11-15.  The pair performed an Interpretive Duet of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.”

It is only the second time in coach Robyn Johnson’s six-year tenure that SVHS students have qualified for the nationals.

“In the world of speech and debate, it’s the epitome of what we strive for,” she said of the national qualifiers.  “It’s very exciting.”

For Johnson, the journey for this year’s students has been gratifying.
“They have grown so much,” she added.  “They have far surpassed anything that I had set my expectations for.  I’ve been amazed at how hard they’ve worked and how far they’ve come.  Kids of all ages have done very well.  We have brought home multiple trophies at almost every meet and we are in the running for sweepstakes which hasn’t happened in about ten years.”

The sweepstakes is put together similar to a track meet with competitors compiling points in various disciplines to earn a team title.
“These are lifelong skills,” Johnson concluded.  “This is not just for the here and now, they will use these skills for the rest of their lives.”
This week’s state tournament will be held on the campus of Western Wyoming Community College with the following students finalizing their competitive edge.
Interpretive Duet:
Jared Johnson & Quinn Robbins
Kenneth Skinner & Lindsey Moore
Public Forum Debate:
Aaron Zahne & Kelsie Garrard
Ryan Phillips & Lucas Lynch
Congressional Debate:
Wendell Oviatt
Jacob Speakman
Nathan Henderson
Chance Merritt
Lincoln Douglas Debate:
Riley Hartelius
Original Oratory:
Rae Fullmer
Riley Moore
Quinn Robbins
Poetic Interpretation:
Cassidy Heiner
Holland Sorenson
Extemporaneous Speaking:
Brandon Turley
Humorous Interpretation:
Guil Factor
Marius Schulz
Meredith Wells
Alternates:
Talmage Lewis
Jessica Miller
Naomi Watkins

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