Trinity Student makes NSDA National Tournament Finals

6/20/2020

Rising Trinity senior, Debbie Bajomo, will compete as a national finalist in the National Speech and Debate Association National Tournament today at 4:00 p.m. Debbie is the first Trinity student ever to break into the top 6 of the tournament and become a national finalist.

The past three weeks, six Trinity students have been perfecting their submissions for the National Speech and Debate Association National Tournament. The tournament, originally scheduled to take place in Albuquerque this week, moved to an online format because of Covid-19.

The following Trinity students qualified to represent the Tall Cotton District (made up of West Texas and the Panhandle, except for El Paso):

Abi C.-- Humorous Interp

Deborah B.--Informative Speaking

Danielle B.--Original Oratory

Joseph K.--Original Oratory

Hadley W.--Public Forum debate

Ethan P.--Public Forum debate

In the NSDA competition, students who do not break into octofinals (top 60) in their primary events can, if they choose, enter various supplemental events. These events then also progress to National Finals. Trinity students showed tremendous success in supplementals:

Abi C. made it to octofinals (top 60 in the US) in Storytelling;
Danielle B. made it to quarterfinals (top 30 in the US) in Prose Interpretation, and also in Poetry Interpretation;
Danielle B. made it to semifinals (top 14 in the US) in Prepared Prompt;
Deborah B. is a National Finalist (top 6 in the US), in Prepared Prompt.

Trinity's speech and debate coach, John Klassen, spent many hours leading up to the event researching best online practices, attending forums, and even creating mock stages to help the students adapt well to the change of online submissions. When confirming the lastest results, John proudly stated, "Making Nationals is an amazing achievement. "Breaking" into elimination rounds (octofinals and after) is extraordinary. Making a National Final...I have no words."

Watch Debbie B. in the final round, to be livestreamed today at 4 p.m. at https://live.speechanddebate.org/. It will show on Livestream 3.

The awards ceremony for the entire tournament will be at 7 p.m., also livestreamed, when final results will be distributed.

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Debbie B. rising Trinity senior

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Trinity School of Midland

3500 West Wadley Avenue, Midland Texas 79707 - Email: info@trinitymidland.org - Phone: (432) 697-3281 - Fax: (432) 697-7403 -