Ridge Forensics Speech & Debate Garners Top Honors At Nationals

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — The renowned Ridge Forensics speech & debate team ended their year with success.

In late June, more than 20 Ridge students traveled to Des Moines, IA to compete against tens of thousands of speakers at NSDA, or the National Speech and Debate Association tournament.

The team won two highly prestigious team sweepstakes awards: the School of Excellence in Speech, and the School of Honor in Debate.

These awards are granted to the top 20 schools in speech and top 40 schools in debate respectively, marking Ridge High School as one of the most distinguished and accomplished teams in the nation.

Many competitors advanced to elimination rounds at this renowned tournament.

Special congratulations are extended to:

Seniors:

• Celine Huang (octafinalist, Original Oratory & Impromptu Speaking)
• Sky-Rose Jaamann (double-octafinalist, Impromptu Speaking)

Juniors:

• Zoey Qin (semifinalist, Congressional Debate)
• Aparna Iyer (semifinalist, U.S. Extemporaneous Speaking)
• Shresta Antil (quarterfinalist, U.S. Extemporaneous Speaking)
• MJ Chu (quarterfinalist, International Extemporaneous Speaking)
• Faye Fletcher (quarterfinalist, Informative Speaking)
• Eva Chen (octafinalist, World Schools Debate)
• Meera Shah (double-octafinalist, Extemporaneous Debate)
• Advik Sateeja (triple-octafinalists, Public Forum Debate)

Sophomores:

• Matthew Li (triple-octafinalists, Public Forum Debate)
• Anvi Sharma (semifinalist, Extemporaneous Commentary)
• Arjun Kumar (octafinalist, U.S. Extemporaneous Speaking & triple-octafinalist, Impromptu Speaking)
• Adalia Karda-Marok (octafinalist, International Extemporaneous Speaking & triple-octafinalist, Impromptu Speaking)
• Rosa Qin (triple-octafinalist, Big Questions Debate)

In late May, students traveled to Chicago, Illinois for the National Catholic Forensic League tournament. The team was honored with the Award of Excellence in Debate, The Award of Excellence in Speech and the Award of Excellence in Forensics.

Students achieved top honors, including:

• Rosa Qin (second place, Lincoln-Douglas Debate)
• Meera Shah (semi-finalist, Lincoln-Douglas Debate)
• Eva Chen (octo-finalist, Lincoln-Douglas Debate)
• Aryav Gaddam (double octo-finalist, Lincoln-Douglas Debate)
• Aparna Iyer (third place, Extemporaneous Speaking)
• Sherry Antil (semifinalist, Extemporaneous Speaking)
• Adalia Karda-Marok (semifinalist, Extemporaneous Speaking)
• MJ Chu (quarterfinalist, Extemporaneous Speaking)
• Arjun Kumar (octafinalist, Extemporaneous Speaking)
• Krish Kumar (fourth place, Declamation)
• Aarush Joginapally (octo-finalist, Declamation)
• Aayush Bhakey (semifinalist, Original Oratory)
• Andy Cui (semifinalist, Congressional Debate)
• Jia Aggarwal (semifinalist, Congressional Debate)
• Saketha Kedarsetty with Mannan Pandey (quarterfinalists, Duo Interpretation)
• Amulya Kollipara with Neel Tripathi (quarterfinalists, Duo Interpretation)
• Srija Kasarla (quarterfinalist, Oral Interpretation)
• Faye Fletcher (octo-finalist, Dramatic Performance)
• Anya Hira with Matthew Sherman (quarterfinalists, Public Forum Debate)
• Aadi Sateeja with Matthew Li (double octo-finalists, Public Forum Debate)

And finally, in early May, students also traveled to Kansas City, Missouri for the National Individual Events Tournament of Champions (NIETOC).

Special congratulations go to:

• Ami Singh (fifth place, Impromptu Speaking)
• Adalia Karda-Marok (semifinalist, ninth place, Impromptu Speaking)
• Celine Huang (semifinalist, tenth place, Impromptu Speaking)
• Aayush Bhakey, James Mathai and Sky Rose Jaamann (all octo-finalists placing in the top 60 for Original Oratory)
• Faye Fletcher and Sky Rose Jaamann (both octo-finalists, placing in the top 60 for Informative Speaking)
• Aparna Iyer, Sherry Antil, MJ Chu and Zoey Qin (all quarterfinalists, placing in the top 30 for Extemporaneous Speaking)
• Anvi Sharma and Arjun Kumar (both octo-finalists, placing in the top 60 for Extemporaneous Speaking)

Ridge Forensics looks forward to an excellent summer, welcoming more than 150 students in grades five through nine to the Ridge Forensics Speech & Debate Institute summer camp, taking place the weeks of July 14 and July 21.

The Institute will be taught by Ridge’s esteemed coaches, with students serving as camp counselors.

For more information, visit ridgeforensics.com.

— Submitted by Loren Bosso