Students qualify for state speech and debate tournament

Thirteen Fox Chapel Area High School students placed in the Pennsylvania High School Speech League (PHSSL) District 16 state championship qualifying tournament. First-place awards went to the team of juniors Prachi Behal and Maya Agarwal in Parliamentary Debate, the team of juniors Joanna Li and Zachary Rubin in Policy Debate, and junior Sabina Mantella in Informative Speaking. Second-place awards were given to freshman Ottilie Happold in Persuasive Speaking and to the team of junior Steven Li and sophomore Elaine Huang in Parliamentary Debate. All eight of these students qualified to participate in the PHSSL State Championship Tournament. The state tournament will be held March 21 and 22, 2025, at Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania – Bloomsburg.

Additionally, five Fox Chapel Area High School students placed at the tournament and will serve as alternates to the state competition. Junior Zehra Ozkaya won third place in Prose Reading, junior Atia DiGioia was awarded third place in Poetry Reading, freshman Divya Thirumala won third place in Dramatic Interpretation, and the team of junior Priscila Hayetian and freshman Amelia Tedesco won third place in Policy Debate.

The state qualifying tournament hosted students representing seven public and private high schools in the eastern portion of the North Hills region, as well as the city of Pittsburgh. It was held at Pine-Richland High School February 22.