The Beresford High School and Middle School Speech Team won several honors at the National Speech and Debate Tournament held in Phoenix, AZ, June 13-16, 2023. Two Beresford high school students and eleven middle school students competed, joining over 7,000 students from across the US.
In high school Supplemental Events, Beresford was represented by sophomores, Laney Andrews in Storytelling and Expository Speaking and Max Josko in Prose and Poetry. Each contest started with approximately 400 students. Laney advanced to the quarterfinals (the top 24 competitors out of 400) in both Storytelling and Expository Speaking.
In the Middle School contests, Emma Andrews and Isabelle Beeson were both quarterfinalists in Storytelling. Emma continued to advance to the final round as well as made finals (the top six in the nation) in Dramatic Interp and Original Oratory.
At the Middle School Awards Ceremony on Friday, June 16, Emma received awards in each of the three events she entered, making her the only student at the contest to make finals in three separate events. At the same awards ceremony, Ann Tornberg was named NSDA Middle School Coach of the Year. Beresford currently has 48 active members in the Middle School Speech and Oral Interp program. Mrs. Tornberg wishes to thank her students for nominating her for this award.
Mrs. Tornberg stated: "We had a great time at our contests in Phoenix. We also had the opportunity to visit two national parks on our journey from Beresford, Arches National Park in Moab, Utah, and the Grand Canyon. Our travel would not have been possible without the generous support of the Beresford Community, the Watchdog Foundation, and the parents and grandparents of the 13 students attending. I especially wish to thank Kelly Josko, who drove and helped chaperone the group, as well as the Russo and Cahoon families, who traveled to the tournament to watch rounds and help transport students to their contests. The entire Watchdog Nation helped to make this possible!"
Pictured above are the Beresford Speech students on June 15 in Phoenix prior to starting the day's contests. Back row l to r: Emma Andrews, Sophia Coe, Max Josko, Isabella Russo, and Max Kinney. Middle Row: Ariana Moulton, Henry Huether, Abby Cahoon, Raiden Hanner, Isabelle Beeson, Rya Merrigan, and Juliet Josko. Seated are Laney Andrews, and Coach Ann Tornberg.
Pictured above are Emma Andrews and Isabelle Beeson at the National Speech and Debate Middle School Tournament in Phoenix on June 15.2023. Both advanced to the quarterfinal round in Storytelling.