Photo Showcase

State High’s Speech and Debate Club Attends La Salle Forum Invitational

Madison Mikita, News Editor

January 12, 2026

Sophomores Ellie Embser and Emily Brightbill, along with Junior Quinn Hixson, sit at a table preparing for the first Public Forum debate round.

Madison Mikita

On Dec. 13, the State High Speech and Debate Club attended the La Salle Invitational in Wynmoor, PA. In the cafeteria of La Salle High School, where students participating in the tournament congregated, the school’s slogan is written on the wall. Students gathered together to chat between rounds and edit their cases or speeches. (Madison Mikita)

Ellie Embser, Emily Brightbill, Lia Fox, Safa Ali, Sol Lee, and Claire Slocum wait on the bleachers in the gymnasium for the awards ceremony to begin. (Madison Mikita)

Senior Zoe Hohlfeld and junior Cece Vanness make their way across the gymnasium after being called to receive their awards. (Madison Mikita)

Hohlfeld and Vanness stand in line alongside other Congressional Debate participants as their names and places are announced. (Madison Mikita)

Hohlfeld and Vanness pose with their awards. Hohlfeld won 12th place, and Vanness won 5th place. “I felt pretty good about it. I do think I could have done a little bit better because I only spoke on one of the bills at finals, and usually people do two. But I think what I did was good. So I felt pretty confident, and I had a good time with my friends,” Hohlfeld said. (Madison Mikita)

Partners, freshmen Anna Chen and Sanai Purkait, hold up their third place award for Duo Interpretation. Purkait said she felt a bit nervous leading up to the tournament, but overall thought it went well. (Madison Mikita)

Juniors Claire Slocum and Camille McConnon celebrate their awards as they make their way back to the rest of the State High Speech and Debate Team. (Madison Mikita)

Slocum and McConnon hold up their semifinal and second place awards for Declamation, respectively. (Madison Mikita)

Partners Ricky Nargi and Gilbert Zhao hold up their awards in Public Forum Debate for making it to the Octo Round. Hixson smiles beside them with her award in the same event, as she and Brightbill made it to the Octo Round. (Madison Mikita)

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