Morristown West Speech, Debate Team Brings Home First Place Sweepstakes Win From Showstopper Invitat

The Morristown West High Speech and Debate team competed in the Showstopper Invitational on Nov. 20, 2021. This competition was hosted by Science Hill High School in Johnson City, Tennessee. 19 competitors from Morristown West placed in final rounds in 15 events.

• Rylee Linkous placed 1st in Dramatic Interpretation, Duo Interpretation with partner Cayden Keltgen, Poetry Interpretation, and Prose Interpretation. She placed 2nd in Program Oral Interpretation, 3rd in Solo Acting, and 4th in Improvisational Duet with partner Emma Whittaker.

• Keltgen placed 1st in Duo Interpretation with partner Linkous and Humorous Interpretation. He also placed 5th in Storytelling.

• Kimber Strumski placed 1st in Original Oratory. She also placed 2nd in Improvisational Duet with partner Lorna Baxley, 4th in Prose Interpretation, and 6th in Humorous Interpretation.

• Faith Hodge placed 1st in Improvisational Duet with partner Delaney Miksa. She also placed 3rd in Duo Interpretation with partner Miksa and Duet Acting with partner Whittaker, and 4th in Impromptu Speaking.

• Miksa placed 1st in Improvisational Duet with partner Hodge. She also placed 3rd in Duo Interpretation with partner Hodge, Original Oratory, and Program Oral Interpretation.

• Whittaker placed 2nd in After-Dinner Speaking and Impromptu Speaking. She placed 3rd in Duet Acting with partner Hodge, 4th in Improvisational Duet with partner Linkous, and 6th in Informative Speaking.

• Baxley placed 2nd in Improvisational Duet with partner Strumski.

• Noah Heissler placed 2nd in Public Forum Debate with partner Isabella Picardi.

• Picardi placed 2nd in Public Forum Debate with partner Heissler. She also placed 6th in Improvisational Duet with partner Kayla Skennion.

• Nicolette Skeen placed 3rd in After-Dinner Speaking.

• Aarya Patel placed 3rd in Impromptu Speaking. She also placed 4th in Program Oral Interpretation.

• Maya Hill placed 4th in Poetry Interpretation. She also placed 6th in Program Oral Interpretation.

• Sienna Hollis placed 4th in Public Forum Debate with partner Jocelyn Valdez.

• Valdez placed 4th in Public Forum Debate with partner Hollis.

• Skennion placed 5th in Original Oratory. She also placed 6th in Improvisational Duet with partner Picardi.

• Joseph Parrott placed 5th in Program Oral Interpretation.

• Haydin Salter placed 6th in Public Forum Debate with partner Zoe Sluss.

• Sluss placed 6th in Public Forum Debate with partner Salter.

• Tristan Lindsey placed 6th in Storytelling.

Rylee Linkous placed 1st in Dramatic Interpretation, Duo Interpretation with Cayden Keltgen, Poetry Interpretation, and Prose Interpretation, as well as 2nd in Program Oral Interpretation, 3rd in Solo Acting, and 4th in Improvisational Duet with Emma Whittaker. Emma Whittaker placed in 2nd in After-Dinner Speaking and Impromptu Speaking, as well as 3rd in Duet Acting with Faith Hodge, 4th in Improvisational Duet with Rylee Linkous, and 6th in Informative Speaking.

The Speech and Debate Team placed 1st in Sweepstakes Points. Congratulations to the team!