The Rossville Stinger Speech Team excelled at the Indiana Schools Speech and Debate Association State Tournament last Saturday with
three students qualifying for the event and showcasing their dedication and skill for speech and debate through various categories.
Three Rossville students, Elijah Washam, Emersyn Hill and Sydney McCullough qualified for the event and showcased their skills with high performances under the guidance of Indiana Hall of Fame Coach Jason Newhouser.
Washam participated in the International Extemp category at the state level after securing a second-place finish at the sectionals, which earned him the opportunity to compete in the top tier during the state’s preliminary round, marking his second consecutive year competing at the state level.
Seniors Emersyn Hill and Sydney McCullough demonstrated their talents in the Duo Interpretation and Original Performance categories during the competition. The duo’s efforts secured commendable placements during the quarterfinals of the events, concluding with a 24th-place ranking in Duo Interpretation and a 9th-place ranking in Original Performance after the three preliminary rounds.
Despite the duo’s impressive achievements, they fell slightly short of advancing to the top 12 semi-final round during the competition.
“The Rossville Stinger Speech Team expresses immense pride in their accomplishments, culminating in an impressive season filled with new competitors, virtual tournaments, being named the District of the Year, a commendable 6th place finish at sectionals and the qualification of three out of four entries to the state contest,” the school released.
For more information about the Rossville Speech program or Theatre, contact Jason Newhouser at 765-379-2990 Ext. 101 or jnewhouser@rcsd.k12.in.us.