Westglades Debate Team Wins Nine Awards as Only Middle School at Regional Tournament

by Ryan Yousefi October 26, 2026

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Westglades Debate Team Wins Nine Awards as Only Middle School at Regional Tournament 4

Westglades speech and debate team. {courtesy}

Competing against high school students as the only middle school at a regional speech and debate tournament, Westglades Middle School students brought home nine awards, including a first-place finish.

The team’s 36 seventh- and eighth-grade students competed on October 24 at the Western Cat Claw Classic Speech & Debate Tournament at Western High School. The competition drew 24 schools from Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, with 335 entries and 374 competitors.

In the end, Westglades Middle School delivered a memorable performance.

“Our students continue to prove that middle school students belong in these rooms and that their voices deserve to be heard,” Brooke Pappas, Westglades’ speech and debate teacher and coach, told Parkland Talk.

The students participated in five rounds of debate and public speaking events, with many facing competitors in novice and varsity high school divisions. The day began at 7:00 a.m. and ended around 7:00 p.m.

Ayla Harper led Westglades with a first-place finish in Dramatic Interpretation and a second-place finish in Program Oral Interpretation. Rebecca Budraj also earned two awards, placing fourth in both Informative Speaking and Program Oral Interpretation.

Other award winners included Logan Hoffman, fifth in Informative Speaking; Ellen Salame, fourth in Original Oratory; Liv Sundquist, third in Program Oral Interpretation; Alissa Erickson, fifth in Program Oral Interpretation; and Sahithya Muddurajaveera, third in Congressional Debate.

For Pappas, the results reflected work that began long before students entered the competition rooms.

“These awards represent far more than a placement on a results sheet,” she said. “They represent hours of preparation, rehearsing speeches, researching topics, practicing arguments, learning to think on their feet, and finding the courage to stand up and speak.”

Pappas said watching her students compete against older, more experienced opponents was particularly meaningful. Beyond delivering speeches and defending arguments, students showed they could listen professionally, think critically, and engage respectfully with other competitors.

“It is an incredible honor to watch these young people find the courage to share their stories, speak out, advocate for change, and discover that their voices matter.”

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Ryan Yousefi

Ryan Yousefi has lived in Coral Springs for over 30 years. He has worked as a writer for multiples outlets over the years, including the Miami New Times where he has covered sports and culture since 2013. He holds a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree in Business Healthcare Management from Western Governors University.