NSDA names regional champs

The National Speech and Debate Association has named its top finalists that will compete at the NSDA National Championship in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Students from various high schools across the CNMI competed at the NSDA regional championship from March 15 to 17.

Last Saturday, 15 finalists were chosen to represent the CNMI (if funding permits) at the annual NSDA national championships that will be held in June.

Students from Marianas High School, Saipan Southern High School, Grace Christian Academy, Saipan International School, Mount Carmel School, Kagman High School, and Marianas Baptist Academy competed in 14 categories at the regionals: duo, humorous interpretation, dramatic interpretation, international extemporaneous, original oratory, Lincoln-Douglas debate, extemporaneous, Chamorro, expository, commentary, prose, poetry, storytelling, and impromptu.

In the impromptu category, Emma Timmens from MHS placed first, Theresa Zheng from MCS placed second, Shea Hartig from SIS placed third, Elijah Pajarillaga from GCA placed fourth, and Sumin Woo from GCA placed fifth.

Zheng will be representing the CNMI at the NSDA nationals in the impromptu category.

For storytelling, Elizabeth Jones from KHS placed first, Kelvin Wolf from MHS placed second, Esther Park from MHS placed third, Edson Valdisimo from KHS placed fourth, and Joseph Zhang from MHS placed fifth.

Park will be representing the CNMI in the storytelling category.

In prose, Kate Ishida from MHS placed first, Jeff Melchor from MCS placed second, Na Lee Lee from GCA placed third, Kelvin Wolf from MHS placed fourth, and Nehemiah Fernandez from SSHS placed fifth.

Melchor will be representing the CNMI in the prose category.

In poetry, Sumin Melody Woo from GCA placed first, Jeremiah Fernandez from SSHS placed second, James Park from MHS placed third, Kate Ishida from MHS placed fourth, and Deidre Rosette from MHS placed fifth.

Woo will be representing the CNMI in the poetry category at the nationals.

For expos, Elizabeth Jones from KHS placed first, Kelvin Wolf from MHS placed second, Theresa Zheng from MCS placed third, Maxine Rabago from MHS placed fourth, and Danielle Acosta from MHS placed fifth.

Representing the CNMI in the expos category will be Jones.

For commentary, Elijah Pajarillaga from GCA placed first, Lanz Victoria from GCA placed second, Arvin Dayao from GCA placed third, Esther Huh from MHS placed fourth, and Joanie Paraiso from MCS placed fifth.

Victoria will be representing the CNMI in the commentary category.

For Chamorro, Nina Valdisimo from KHS placed first, Victoria DelaCruz from MHS placed second, Jonelle Toscas from MCS placed third, and Michelle Palacios from MCS placed fourth.

Valdisimo will represent the CNMI in the English category at the nationals.

For international extemporaneous, Jeremiah Fernandez from SSHS placed first, Emma Timmons from MHS placed second, Arvin Dayao from GCA placed third, Grace Zhang from MHS placed fourth, and Martin Pangelinan from GCA placed fifth.

Timmons will be representing the CNMI in the international extemporaneous category.

In the extemporaneous category, Elijah Pajarillaga from GCA placed first, Jederick Villar from MCS placed second, Lanz Victoria from GCA placed third, Esther Huh from MHS placed fourth, and Ao Feng Zheng from GCA placed fifth.

Pajarillaga will represent the CNMI in the extemporaneous category at the nationals.

For original oratory, Kate Ishida from MHS placed first, Esther Kim from MHS placed second, Victoria Santos from MBA placed third, Na Lee Lee from GCA placed fourth, and Maxine Rabago from MHS placed fifth.

Kate Ishida will represent the CNMI in the original oratory category.

For humorous interpretation, Kelvin Wolf from MHS placed first, Elizabeth Jones from KHS placed second, Timothy Acosta from MHS placed third, Grace Zhang from MHS placed fourth, and Joseph Zhang from MHS placed fifth.

Wolf will represent the CNMI in the upcoming NSDA nationals in the humorous interpretation category.

For duo, Nehemiah and Jeremiah Fernandez from SSHS placed first, Nina Valdisimo and Esther Jones from KHS placed second, Esther Park and Esther Kim from MHS placed third, Kaye Obando and Julia Malate from MHS placed fourth, and Christian Palattao and Joshua Alfred from MBA placed fifth.

The Fernandez duo will represent the CNMI at the upcoming NSDA national championships.

For dramatic interpretation, James Park from MHS placed first, Sumin Woo from GCA placed second, Elizabeth Jones from KHS placed third, Jeff Melchor from MCS placed fourth, and Deidre Rosete placed fifth.

Park will represent the CNMI in the dramatic interpretation category.

In the Lincoln-Douglas debate, Shea Hartig from SIS placed first, Emma Timmons from MHS placed second, and Eileen No from SIS placed third.

Hartig will represent the CNMI at the NSDA nationals under the LD debate category.