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Westglades Middle School Speech and Debate Shines at Marjory Stoneman Douglas Tournament

Westglades Middle School Speech and Debate Team {WMS}

The Westglades Middle School Speech and Debate team triumphed in the MAST 1 tournament at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

On September 24, Westglades competed against nine other Broward County middle schools, bringing 93 students from 6th to 8th grade.

Speech and Debate Coach Brooke Pappas tells Parkland Talk that the results of the students’ hard work give immense pride in her team, not just for their success but for the spirit they brought to the tournament.

“I couldn’t be prouder of how supportive and joyful our students are for their teammates’ successes. The camaraderie and sportsmanship they show make this team so special,” Pappas said.

For many sixth-grade students, the MAST 1 tournament marked their first experience in speech and debate, making their success particularly impressive to Pappas.

“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up and perform in these events, and they all rose to the occasion,” Pappas explained, adding success is gauged by much more than the awards, but how it leads to the student’s growth as people.

“As I always say, there is no losing in a tournament. Instead, there is the opportunity to learn and grow. Each competition is a chance to learn more about their chosen event, and there’s no better place to do that than in the tournament setting.”

Pappas shares that while one of the event’s highlights was seeing students who had not medaled in previous years come out on top, seeing the dedication and perseverance of seasoned students paid off was immensely rewarding.

“Several of my students, who worked hard last year but never earned a medal, showed immense grit and determination by staying in speech and debate this year, Pappas said, adding the award ceremony brought some emotional moments.

”Their dedication paid off, and seeing their names listed as medal winners at our first major tournament this season was a moment of pure joy and pride for me.”

The Westglades team brought home medals in categories such as Congressional Debate, Public Forum, Impromptu, Storytelling, Lincoln Douglas Debate, Informative, Original Oratory, Prose, Duo Interpretation, and Dramatic Interpretation.

Below is a list of those students who received MAST 1 honors.

Medal Winners

6th Grade

Aanshi Shah
Bianca Thakur
Logan Hoffman
Felicia Charlot
Giulia Matias
Alexander Kashirin
Liv Sundquist

7th Grade

Wyatt Van Eck
Ira Kumar
Carter Smith
Logan Secor
Liam Salame
Angie Abad Gietl
Camryn Walker
Sofia Sawhney
Alisa Onuchina
Ashton Shah
Matthew Sanclemente
Gaby Lugo
Perri Teitzman
Angelique Kramer

8th Grade

Rexford Lee
Joaquin Vasiliadis
Ariana Thobani
Isabella Solorzano
Lily Bradford
Gabriella Duman
Ayan Mehta
Deetya Pattani
Krish Shah
Amalia Kostrykov
Kevin Ventura
Aariv Chawla

The Westglades team is moving on and preparing for their next competition, MAST 2, scheduled for October 22. They’re also raising funds to offset travel expenses for State and National Competitions.

Those interested in supporting can donate via their Westglades Middle School Speech & Debate 2024 fundraising page.

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Author Profile

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.