Fifteen Debate Team Members Advance to State

At the NFL North Coast District tournament this weekend, Alyssa Lane qualified for nationals in Lincoln Douglas debate. She will also debate at the City Club for the third consecutive year which takes place noon on Friday, March 10th. Her opponent will be Daniel Litt from Orange High School. Alyssa will debate at the national tournament in Dallas in June. Kenan Diab won a trophy as a quarterfinalist in Lincoln Douglas debate. He finished in 6th place. Mustafa Ascha won a trophy for making it to the final round in International Extemporaneous Speaking. He finished in 7th place. Additionally, Hawken finished 2nd overall at the district tournament in early February (The OHSSL Cleveland District tournament), held at Olmsted Falls High School. Fifteen students advanced to the state tournament, to be held March 2 - 4 in Canton. State Qualifiers include Ariella Kirsch, Gary Ellis, Billy Thompson, and Sonia Sequeira in 4-Person Policy debate; Alyssa Lane and Kenan Diab in Lincoln Douglas debate; Jon Moormann and Jeff Katzin in Public Forum debate. Mustafa Ascha advanced in International Extemporaneous Speaking; Sam Skove and Jita Fumich in Oratorical Interpretation; Jen Wenz and Brynn Adams in Prose-Poetry Reading; and Trisch Himmelein and Audrey Schaefer in Duo Interpretation. District champions include Kenan Diab in Lincoln Douglas debate; Jon Moormann and Jeff Katzin in Public Forum debate; and Jita Fumic in Oratorical Interpretation. Alternates to the state tournament were also named. Jim Goldston, Michael Laks, Dylan Herts and Drew Macklis in 4-person Debate; Dan Singer and Harrison Adams in Public Forum; Angela Primbas in Lincoln Douglas debate; Rick Durance in US Extemporaneous Speaking; Raj Mainthia in Impromptu.