Through hard work and dedication, three Sandies earned their spots in the National Speech and Debate Association competition. They will compete in their respective events from June 15 to 20 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Approximately 1,500 schools and 6,700 students are expected to compete this summer for one of the 42 awards. Each participant has worked tirelessly to qualify and is eager to challenge the best of the best in pursuit of a national title.

Senior Bakhtawar Parvez achieved the “Four-Time Competitor” award, a distinction earned by around 175 students annually at NSDA. Since her freshman year, Parvez has dedicated countless late nights preparing for the congressional debate.

 “It’s just a lot of consistent practice and making sure I’m not just practicing, but also learning, reading more and being very intuitive,” Parvez said.

Senior Aidan Anderson qualified every year since he was a sophomore.. This season, he placed second out of 85 contestants in the congressional debate and ranks second overall among 1,890 competitors in the district. Anderson attributes his success to the Speech and Debate program, his coach, Mrs. Denny, and his teammate, Elijah Keller.

“It wasn’t like what I had thought, but it still felt great because I worked so hard for it,” Anderson said.  “… I think trusting my teammates and my coach for putting in the work has got me to this spot.”

Junior Hayden Brillhart, competing for the third time, qualified in three different events: Original Oratory, Senate Congressional Debate, and International Extemporaneous Speaking. However, he can only participate in one event at Nationals. Brillhart has chosen to compete in the Senate Congressional Debate, which he has prioritized for the past three years. 

“I’m really going to work next year to enjoy it,” Brillhart said. “I want other kids on our team to succeed and I want to take a step back next year and spark a new light on our team.”