Atsá Invitational

P-Russ's recap:

SUBJECT: Another amazing Atsá! 🦅🥇🌎

Greetings, all,

It was such a joy once again to feel the special nerdy energy of a speech and debate tournament right here at Navajo Prep on Saturday. We hosted over one hundred students from eight different schools (7 from NM, plus Durango High), and it seems like it will once again be a day to remember for the lot of 'em. We even made New Mexico s&d history, hosting an event that has never appeared before at a tournament in our state: Extemporaneous Debate!

We have so much gratitude to convey, but first, please join me in celebrating the ongoing successes of your incredible Gavelin' Eagles!

• The team of Bradley Redhouse and Addyson Salazar placed first in Duo Interpretation! Addy also placed first in Poetry Showcase!

• Aspyn Kaskalla placed second in International Extemporaneous Speaking and fifth in Program Oral Interpretation!

• Ciera Charley placed second in Poetry Showcase!

• Kaleb Jones placed third in the highly prestigious Senate chamber of Congressional Debate! It was his first time ever competing in Senate!

• Ayden Redhouse placed third in Poetry Showcase and fourth in US Extemporaneous Speaking!

• Kira Begay was the Top Novice Speaker in the very competitive event of Impromptu and placed fifth overall in that event!

• Kaiya Longoria was the Top Novice Speaker in Poetry Showcase and placed sixth overall in that event!

• Haylei Redhouse tied for fourth in Original Oratory, the tournament's most competitive event! Haylei also placed fifth in Poetry Showcase!

• Sierra Nakai placed fourth in Dramatic Interpretation — her first time ever trying the event!

• Kiona Manson and Kaycie Muneta placed fourth in Duo Interpretation! Kaycie also placed eighth in Informative Speaking!

• Crystal Tsosie placed fourth in Poetry Showcase!

• Danica Becenti placed eighth in the Senate chamber of Congressional Debate!

• Emeka Begaye placed tenth in Informative Speaking (at his S&D debut)!

Another incredible showing, but we couldn't have done it without a truly heroic level of help. We are so grateful to all of the following:

• Ms. James-Belin for pulling together the absolutely astounding Diné Culture Night on Friday evening! Her hospitality will be spoken of for years to come. Also, Mr. Belin for his enormous support with that event.

• Mr. Prettyontop, Ms. Eaton, and the whole IT team for their tech support both on Friday night and throughout the day on Saturday! Mr. Prettyontop has achieved legendary status throughout the NM s&d circuit for introducing a lucky group of competitors to archery tag on Friday evening.

• Mr. Burns, Ms. Adeky, Ms. Billie, Ms. McCabe, Ms. Benally, and all the other staff members and community volunteers who helped run Friday's events!

• Also, all the incredible student and alumni volunteers who helped on Friday night! And a few who helped me run the tournament on Saturday!

• Albert Nelson (NPS Class of '05) and his son, who led the song-and-dance on Friday night!

• An incredible number of parents, guardians, and family members who volunteered and donated to our judges' potlucks on Saturday!

• Our team's 20+ volunteer judges, who hailed from all over! A special thanks to Mr. Riser and Ms. McCabe for giving up their Saturday to perform this vital service! Also, to alumni BJ Ray ('23) and Niejah Davis ('24), who returned to campus to judge. Finally, to my mother, Pat LaMarche, who flew in all the way from Pennsylvania for the second year in a row to judge this tournament for us. She's been judging my speech-and-debate tournaments since 2001, when I joined my high school team as a starry-eyed 9th grader!

• Everyone who let us invade their classroom space, especially Ms. Werth, as her classroom and kitchen were ground zero for the tournament!

• The kitchen, residential, security, and facilities staff, all of whom worked extra hours to make both Friday night and Saturday possible!

• The folks in Admin, Athletics, and the Business Office, for enabling all of this to happen!

• And especially my two amazing assistant coaches: Malyssa Egge, who once again came in from Bluff, Utah, to support our kiddos, and Mrs. Kaskalla, who was indefatigable on both Friday and Saturday!

I'm sure I'm forgetting someone or other. If so, please forgive me!

Anyway, I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. See you tomorrow!

Best,

Russell