“State-qualifier” is a recurring phrase for the award-winning high school speech team. Last Wednesday, four speech students competed at the cross-examination district competition. After five rounds of debate, senior Nadia Garcia and sophomore Colby Menefee placed second and are advancing to the state competition,  and junior Andrea Garcia and sophomore Mollie Dittmar placed fourth and are second alternates.

“I am really sad that after state I am not going to be competing anymore in something I love,” Nadia Garcia said. “But, I am really excited that we were able to  make it to state my last year.”

At the end of the day, the team of Nadia Garcia and Menefee won four out of five rounds and the team of Andrea Garcia and Dittmar won three out of five.

“I am really excited to go to state; it has been a goal of mine for a long time,” Menefee said. “Last year I almost went to state. I was pretty close, but I didn’t. I am glad I am finally meeting this goal.”

After the competition was over, Menefee was recognized as top speaker.

“I was proud of him and I knew how hard he had worked for it,” speech teacher Melonie Menefee said. “At night, I could hear him in his room practicing at night. He worked really hard to prepare for the competition.”

Although they placed fourth, Garcia-Dittmar defeated the team that placed first overall.

“At first we were shocked that we beat them, but then we realized that we are as good as we make ourselves to be,” Andrea Garcia said. “It boosted us up knowing we beat one of the best teams there. I am really proud of how we all did.”