Last week, the David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy and Ovey Comeaux High School Speech & Debate Teams competed in the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) National Tournament held in Phoenix, Arizona. Competing against 2,863 schools from eight different countries, both schools were recognized as a Speech School of Excellence, Top 20 Schools Worldwide, and received numerous awards.
Under the guidance of coach Jacob Simon, the Ovey Comeaux High School team achieved great success, with two students advancing to the final rounds and one being named National Student of the Year. Kylan Williams won the National championship in Dramatic Interpretation, and Jade Ismail secured fourth place in Program Oral Interpretation and is now the 2023 NSDA National Student of the Year. Ovey Comeaux High School has been awarded the NSDA’s Speech School of Excellence Sweepstakes Award and Top 20 Schools Worldwide for seven consecutive years.
Meanwhile, the David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy Speech and Theater Team, led by coaches Brittany Turner and Jacob Leger, had nine students participate, with eight of them breaking into the out rounds, an achievement that marks them as the top 3% of speech competitors worldwide. For the first time ever, the school was named a Speech School of Excellence and Top 20 Schools worldwide in speech. The team's placements are as follows: Junior Caroline Hutchison placed 102nd in Poetry Interpretation and 80th in Prose interpretation, Senior Gabriel Gremillion placed 51st in Humorous Interpretation, Senior Jayden Dural placed 50th in Program Oral Interpretation, Junior Tori Lewis and Sophomore Binea Joseph placed 42nd in Duo Interpretation, Freshman Ja’Nayah Howard placed 23rd in Informative Speaking, Sophomore Trinity Dugar placed 12th in Dramatic Interpretation, and 7th Grader Gavin Crayton placed 2nd in Program Oral Interpretation. Additionally, Gavin and Trinity have been invited back to nationals next year.
About NSDA
The National Speech & Debate Association was created in 1925 to provide recognition and support for students participating in speech and debate activities. We connect, support, and inspire a diverse community committed to empowering students through competitive speech and debate. To learn more about NSDA, please click here to visit their website.
