OCTOBER:
Novice Tournament - Oct. 22, Catholic Memorial High School
--28 Novices and 12 Varsity judges attended. Events: Public Forum Debate, Lincoln Douglas Debate, Congressional Debate, Poetry, Impromptu, Children's Literature
Revere Fall Fest - Oct. 29, Revere HS
-- Seth R. 1st place in Congress
Averill Invitational - Oct. 28-29 - Online
-- Connor L., Seventh Speaker, Varsity Public Forum, Nikita M. and Smera D., Octofinalists, VPF
-- Riya M. 1st place Novice Lincoln Douglas Debate, Ajay K., 3rd place NLD
-- Ting W. 3rd place Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate, Alex L. 5th place VLD
November
Butternut LD online - November 12th - Ting W. 1st place in Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate, Sophie P., 2nd place, Lakshika K, 4th place. Ajay K. 3rd place in Novice Lincoln Douglas Debate, Vanshika K., 4th place
Little Lex - November 19th - Lexington HS - Ajay K. 1st place, 1st Speaker in Novice Lincoln Douglas Debate, Lakshika K., 2nd place, 1st speaker in Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate, Sophie P. , 3rd place and 5th speaker in VLD, earning state Bids - Neel K. in NLD and Advikar A. in VLD.
December
Lincoln Sudbury Showdown - December 3rd - Lincoln Sudbury RHS
Team as a whole took 3rd place in Sweepstakes
Seth R. Champion in Congressional Debate, Neha K., 2nd place in Children's Literature Reading, Tanvi S., 2nd place in Radio Broadcasting, Meghana S. and Saiesha B., 5th place in Duo Interpretation, Ayanna R., Honorable Mention in Impromptu Speaking, Sophie P., Champion and 3rd Speaker Award in Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate, Lakshika K., 2nd place and 4th Speaker Award in VLD, Amy S., Quarterfinalist in VLD, Neel K., Semifinalist in Novice Lincoln Douglas Debate, Anna L., Quarterfinalist in NLD, Leah K., Quarterfinalist in NLD, Sara D., 2nd Speaker Award and State Bid in NLD, Neel H., State Bid in NLD, Diksha M. and Sarah Y., State Bid in Novice Public Forum Debate, Sid M. and Adi S., State Bid in NPF.
60th Annual Holly Festival - December 17th - Natick HS
As a team we took 5th place in the Holly Sweepstakes.
Our Pentathletes, Neha and Avni competed through 14 and 13 rounds respectively (5 events each). Neha finished in 3rd place overall and also earned 6th place in Extemporaneous Literature, and Honorable Mentions in both Children's Literature Reading and Impromptu Speaking. Avni earned an Honorable Mention in Children's Literature Reading. Congrats for completing this rite of passage in Speech, ladies!
In PF Debate (first time offered at Holly) Ryon and Varun finished in 4th place. Ryon and William received speaker awards.
In Congressional Debate, Seth earned 3rd place overall.
In Limited Prep events, Jane earned Top Novice in Impromptu and Ting earned 4th place in the same event. Tanvi earned 5th place in Radio Broadcasting.
In Memorized events, Aditri earned 4th place in Dramatic Performance. Meghna and Saiesha earned a season's best 3rd place in Duo Interp.
In Reading events, Aditri took the Championship in Programmed Oral Interp in her first tournament competing in this event.
January:
Newton South Winter Festival 1/7/2023 - Team took 7th place in Sweeps
Double Entry and Double Breaks -
Aditri B. 3rd place in Dramatic Performance and Champion in Programmed Oral Interpretation.
Vani M. 3rd place in Declamation and 3rd place in Novice Oral Interpretation with her Children's Literature entry.
Seth R. - 2nd place in Congressional Debate
Ayanna R. - 3rd place and Top Novice in Group Discussion
Tinghan W. - 3rd place in Varsity Extemporaneous Speaking
Meghana S. - 6th place in Children's Literature Reading
Saanvi R. - bid to States in Impromptu
Priyanka C. - bid to States in Oratory
Lexington Winter Invitational Debate - 1/14 - 1/15
In Novice Lincoln Douglas – Anusha N. earned 5th speaker in the field, Riya M. finished as a Octofinalist (top 16), Anna L. finished as a Quarterfinalist (top 8) and Neel K. finished
In Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate – Ting W. broke to the first outround after 6 preliminary rounds.
In Varsity Public Forum – Keshav W. and William W. along with Advay G. and Ankith B. finished as Double Octofinalists (top 32) and Seniors Manas E. and Rishi F. finished as co-champions of the tournament.
Boston Latin - 1/21
In Speech Events:
Meghna S. 7th place finalist in Children's Literature
Meghna S. and Saiesha B. 3rd place finalists in Duo Interp
Ayanna R.- 2nd place in Group Discussion
Ayana B.- 4th place in Programmed Oral Interp
Mantra G.- 6th place finalist in Radio Broadcasting
State bids to Sahasra C. and Jane L. in Impromptu, Vani M. in Declamation, Avni M. and Neha K. in Oratory
In Congressional Debate:
Seth R. - Champion
Nathanael G. - 6th place
Praneel M. - State Bid
In Lincoln Douglas:
Ting W. - 2nd place finalist, 6th speaker in VLD
Sophie P. - 4th speaker in VLD and State bid
Neel K.- Champion in NLD, 2nd speaker
Anusha N.- 2nd place in NLD, 3rd speaker
Sara D. - 5th place and 5th speaker in NLD
Anna L.- State Bid
Congratulations to all of the novices who participated, especially in PF with the novice/vet pairings, as AB was awarded a plaque for the Rolo and Mycroft Novice Sweepstakes.
February -
Harvard National Forensics Tournament
Aditri B. - Programmed Oral Interpretation - Octofinalist
Saiesha B. and Meghna S. - Duo Interpretation - Octofinalists
Manas E. and Rishi F. - Varsity Public Forum Debate - first elim (Quads)
Sid M. and Adi S. - Novice Public Forum Debate - Double Octofinalists
Ting W. - Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate - first elim (Quads)
Riya M. - Junior Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate - Double Octofinalist
March -
Mardi Gras Festival - Team earns 4th place Sweepstakes, Kitty Viscardi Award for Novice Sweepstakes (cumulative over more than a decade) Coach Hennessey awarded the 2023 Semper Fidelis Award in memory of a member of the Shrewsbury Speech and Debate community
Individual awards to:
Vani M., 3rd place Novice Oral Interp final (Children's Literature),
Isaac C., 5th place Play Reading and Top Novice in Play Reading
Anusha N. - 6th place Open Lincoln Douglas Debate
Ajay K., - 5th place and 5th speaker in Open Lincoln Douglas Debate
Sunithi K. - 3rd place in Open Lincoln Douglas Debate
Amy S. - 2nd place in Open Lincoln Douglas Debate
Lakshika K., 1st place and 1st Speaker in Lincoln Douglas Debate
Sam L. and Ani M., 3rd place in Varsity Public Forum, Ani - second Speaker in VPF
Bids to States: Ting and Isaac - Impromptu, Prisha D. - Oratory, Ting - Varsity Extemp
Neil and Tahani, Shree and Ryon - Public Forum Debate
March Merryness Tournament - 3/18/23
4th place TEAM SWEEPSTAKES
Aditri B. - 3rd place in Dramatic Performance and 4th place in Programmed Oral Interpretation
Neha K. - 4th place in Dramatic Performance
Ayanna R. - Semifinalist and top novice in Impromptu Speaking
Connor L. - 6th place in Varsity Extemporaneous Speaking, Champion in Impromptu Storytelling
Isaac C. - 7th place finalist in Play Reading
Ayana B. - 6th place in Programmed Oral Interpretation
Tanvi S. - 5th place in Radio Broadcasting
Austin K. - Finalist in Congressional Debate, 2nd place in Mixed Duo Interpretation
Praneel M. - Finalist in Congressional Debate
Ting W. - 5th place in Congressional Debate, 3rd place in Impromptu Sales
Vanshi K. - 4th place and top novice in Mixed Duo Interpretation
Saanvi R. - 6th place in Tabloid Extemporaneous Speaking
Anna L. - 2nd speaker in Novice Lincoln Douglas Debate
Anusha N. - 5th speaker in Novice Lincoln Douglas Debate
Amy S. - 2nd speaker in Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate
Neel K. - 3rd speaker in Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate
Lakshika K. - Champion in Lincoln Douglas Debate
Henry M. - 4th speaker in Novice Public Forum Debate
Bids to States earned by Neha K. (KL), Suravi B. (IMP and OO), Saanvi R. (IMP), Priyanka C. (OO), Ajay K. (NLD), Rupin S. and Henry M. (NPF, Prakhar S. and Yash N. (NPF)
2023 MSDL Massachusetts State Debate Championships
Hosted by Acton-Boxborough Speech and Debate team and Acton-Boxborough Friends of Speech and Debate
AB fielded 36 qualified students in Novice Lincoln Douglas Debate, Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate, Novice Public Forum Debate and Varsity Public Forum Debate
For our performance during preliminary rounds, AB Debate earned
2nd place in overall Sweepstakes.
Individual placement awards to:
Ajay K. Semifinalist and 1st Speaker award in Novice Lincoln Douglas Debate
Anna L. - Quarterfinalist in NLD and 4th speaker award
Anusha N. - Quarterfinalist in NLD and 8th speaker award
Neel K. - Octofinalist in NLD and 6th speaker award
Ting W. - CHAMPION in Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate and 2nd Speaker award
Lakshika K. - Quarterfinalist and 1st Speaker award in VLD
Alex L. - Quarterfinalist in VLD
Amy S. - Octofinalist in VLD
Advikar A. - Octofinalist in VLD
Adi S. and Sid M. - Semifinalists in Novice Public Forum Debate
Sam L. and Anirudh M. - Octofinalists in Varsity Public Forum Debate
Keshav W. and William W. - Octofinalists in Varsity Pubic Forum Debate
Manas E. - 6th Speaker award in VPF
Advay G. - 7th Speaker award in VPF
Members of the Class of 2023 were honored at the awards ceremony with yellow roses and cupcakes.
AB Debate seniors:
Isha A., Ankith B., Emma C., Manas E., Rishi F., Advay G., Alicia G., Sunithi K., Katherine L., Aidan L. Sam L., Anirudh M., Sivapriya M., Johan M., Anya M., Sophie P., Shashank S., Keshav W., Jefferson W.
2023 State Speech and Congress Championships
AB Speech and Congress students (17 strong) traveled to Chelmsford HS on Saturday, April 1, 2023.
The team earned 4th place Sweepstakes for their combined efforts at this tournament.
The AB Debate squad was also honored with the 2022-2023 League Sweepstakes taking 2nd place in the MSDL.
Individual honors to:
Neha K. - 5th place Original Oratory, 4th place Double Speak Award
Meghna S. and Saiesha B. - 6th place Duo Interpretation
Ting W. - 5th place in Varsity Extemporaneous Speaking, 2nd place in Impromptu Speaking, 2nd place Double Speak Award
Ayanna R. - 5th place and top novice in Group Discussion
Tanvi S. - 6th place in Radio Broadcasting
Aditri B. - 2nd place in Programmed Oral Interpretation
Tournament of Champions - Lexington, KY April 2023
Aditri B. - Dramatic Interpretation - Semifinalist
Programmed Oral Interpretation - Semifinalist
National Catholic Forensic League Grand National Tournament - Louisville, KY, May 2023
Students representing the Boston Diocese and AB:
Saiesha B. and Meghna S. - Duo - Octofinalists
Sophie P. - Lincoln Douglas Debate - Octofinalist
Tinghan W. - Lincoln Douglas Debate - Quarterfinalist
Anna L. - Lincoln Douglas Debate
Austin K. - Congressional Debate
National Speech and Debate Association National Speech and Debate Championships - Phoenix, AZ June 2023
Representing AB and the New England District:
Ting W. - Lincoln Douglas - through round 8 (first outround group) and Impromptu - Octofinalist
Aditri B. - Programmed Oral Interpretation - Quarterfinalist