Top of the World

P-Russ's recap:

SUBJECT: The Gavelin' Eagles on Top of the World! 🏆⛰️🦅⛰️🏆

Greetings, all,

These kids are really cooking now! We had an incredible time — and met incredible success! — at the Top of the World Tournament at East Mountain High School in Sandia Park. Every year, this tournament provides the first exposure many of our competitors will have to the majority of speech and debate events. As such, it's always been a bit of a mess! But every year, we've come back stronger, and the team's power was really on display this third time around thanks to the 25(!) Gavelin' Eagles who turned up ready to make their voices heard.

Each of the following students medaled! Please join me in celebrating these AMAZING achievements:

• Haylei Redhouse earned FIRST PLACE in the incredibly competitive event of Original Oratory! It was her very first time trying the event! She was ranked first in three of her four individual rounds as well, an astounding feat.

• Danica Becenti earned FIRST PLACE in Dramatic Interpretation!

• Aspyn Kaskalla took second in International Extemporaneous Speaking! She also placed third in Program Oral Interpretation, which she was trying for the first time!

• Bradley Redhouse tied for second in Humorous Interpretation! He and Addyson Salazar also placed third in Duo Interpretation!

• Charmista Barela and Evan Speck placed third in the novice division of the ludicrously challenging event of Policy Debate! Seriously, this event is so terrifyingly and inaccessibly arduous that I just straight-up tell kids NOT to do it. Nevertheless, these intrepid young daredevils insisted on giving it a try. Major props to our assistant coach Malyssa Egge for making lots of time this past month to help them prep!

There were several other performances of note as well! Props to:

• The team of Kiona Manson and Kaycie Muneta, who placed fourth in Duo Interpretation! Kaycie also placed tenth in Informative Speaking!

• Daykiin Draper, who placed fourth in Program Oral Interpretation!

• The team of Kiara Jim and Sierra Nakai, who placed fifth in Duo Interpretation (in Sierra's s&d debut)! Kiara also placed tenth in Impromptu!

• Ciera Charley, who placed fifth in Program Oral Interpretation!

• Josiah Dineyazhe, who placed seventh in Impromptu, the tournament's most competitive event overall! JoJo also placed eighth in United States Extemporaneous Speaking!

• Elliott Crooks, who placed seventh in United States Extemporaneous Speaking!

• Kira Begay, who placed eighth in Impromptu and was that event's second highest-ranked novice competitor! This was Kira's first time doing speech!

• Kiara DeChee, who placed eighth in Informative Speaking!

• Ayden Redhouse, who placed ninth in United States Extemporaneous Speaking!

• Ishi Reale, who placed ninth in International Extemporaneous Speaking!

• Kaleb Jones, who placed tenth in the varsity division of Lincoln-Douglas Debate, the tournament's most competitive debate event!

Thanks so much to Coach Kaskalla for co-chaperoning with me! Also to Louise Atene for getting us there and back safe and sound. And especially to the incredible number of community members who came out to judge for us, and to all of you who helped us recruit them!!! Oh, and to Ms. Gutierrez for watching my pooch so I could attend!

I hope you all enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Best,

Russell