LPS students earn record breaking accolades at National Speech and Debate Tournament

June 22, 2023

Speech and debate students from various LPS high schools traveled to Phoenix, Ariz., for the National Speech and Debate Association's National Tournament June 11-16. The five-day tournament is the largest academic competition in the world, with this year's competition hosting over 6,100 students from 1,267 schools, with competitors from every U.S. state, two U.S territories, and eight countries. 

LPS students earned several accolades at the tournament, both individually and as a team. Lincoln East High School was recognized for the first time in school history as a School of Outstanding Distinction, an award given to the top 10 scoring teams at the tournament in both speech and debate. Lincoln East High School also broke a Nebraska state record by having the most competitors qualify for the national tournament, with 28 students heading to nationals. Lincoln Southeast High School was recognized as a School of Honor, an award given to the top 21-40 scoring speech teams. 

This year's tournament also marked Lincoln East's 50th year attending the national tournament. The coaches were presented with a special commendation for this milestone at the awards assembly.

Lincoln Southwest High School speech and debate coach Matt Heimes was also inducted into the National Speech and Debate Association Hall of Fame during the week's tournament festivities. 

Results from the 2023 NSDA National Speech and Debate Tournament can be found below, and you can view the awards ceremony here. 

Lincoln East

School of Outstanding Distinction (Top 10 scoring teams overall)

Debate

Yakub Islamov and Christina Xu - Round 11, Public Forum Debate (Top 18)

Elaine Suh and Sarah Cai - Round 8 in Policy Debate (Top 40)

Speech

Leo Goldberg - Fifth place in Commentary

Max Apel - Semifinalist in Prose Interpretation (Top 14)

Celeste Cruz Rivera - Semifinalist in Program Interpretation (Top 14)

Isabella Razdan - Semifinalist in U.S. Extemporaneous Speaking (Top 14)

Harper Allen - Quarterfinalist in Dramatic Interpretation (Top 30)

Nusrat Amin - Quarterfinalist in Expository Speaking (Top 30)

Harper Schupbach - Quarterfinalist in Informative Speaking (Top 30)

Mac Vaverka - Quarterfinalist in Dramatic Interpretation (Top 30)

Rachel Laws - Quarterfinalist in Prose Interpretation (Top 30) *Honored as four-year national tournament qualifier*

Nusrat Amin and Junior Luke Nash - Octofinalists in Duo Interpretation (Top 60)

Max Apel and Jack Welstead - Octofinalists in Duo Interpretation (Top 60)

Rimi Bhoopalam - Octofinalist in Expository Speaking (Top 60)

Luke Nash - Octofinalist in Prose Interpretation (Top 60)

Ellie Hiser - Double Octofinalist in Poetry Interpretation (Top 100)

Korben Ockander - Double Octofinalist in Poetry Interpretation (Top 100)

Jack Welstead - Double Octofinalist in Poetry Interpretation (Top 100)

Lincoln Southeast

School of Honor in Speech (Top 40)

Debate

Lexi Velgersdyk - Quarterfinalist in Congressional Debate - House

Speech

Olivia Nelson - Semifinalist in Humorous Interpretation (Top 14)

Dawson Dynek - Semifinalist in Program Oral Interpretation (Top 14)

Lincoln Southwest

Coach Matt Heimes inducted into the NSDA Hall of Fame

Debate

Ellie Weeks - Quarterfinalist in Congressional Debate - House

Jack Anderson - Semifinalist in Congressional Debate - Senate

Cameron Coen and Molly O'Brien - Round 8 in Public Forum (Top 64)

Britton Teply - Double Octafinalist in Extemporaneous Debate

Speech

Brooklyn Bruggeman - Double Octafinalist in Poetry (Top 100)

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