PASH Students Win NJ Speech & Debate League Middle School Championship

The Princeton Academy Speech & Debate team won the team sweepstakes at the New Jersey Speech & Debate League (NJSDL) Middle School Championship on Friday, May 17th at Long Valley Middle School. Four Princeton Academy students won State Titles while 12 additional Hawks were recognized with awards as State Finalists and Semifinalists.

In the debate event of Spontaneous Argumentation, Max W. 24 was named the State Champion while debating various impromptu debate topics each round. In the event of Congressional Debate, Justin Z. '24 was named the State Champion while Mathew R. '25 placed third. Daniel I. '24 and Felix Y. '25 were both recognized as State Finalists while Daniel was also elected as the Presiding Officer of the State Championship and will receive a ceremonial gavel. Walily M. '25, Luke T. '25, and Nathan L. '27 also participated in the Congressional Debate session debating a resolution to implement universal preschool, a bill to fuel the airplanes of tomorrow, a resolution to fund agriculture subsidies for vertical farming, and a bill ban the creation and distribution of
AI-generated deepfakes.

In the speech events Jayden L. '25 was named the State Champion of Declamation, while Declan S. '26 and Salman T. '27 were recognized as State Finalists. In the event of Prose Interpretation, Theodore D. '27 was named the State Champion of the tournament's largest event while Layne P '27 was recognized as a State Finalist. Jesse L. '26 and Declan S. '26 were also recognized as State Semifinalists in Prose while Sean P. '27 narrowly missed recognition in the very competitive field. In Poetry Interpretation, Jonathan I-O. '25 was the State Runner-Up while Joseph L. '26 placed third. In Original Oratory, Vincent L. '27 was the State Runner-up while Jack C. '27 was recognized as a State Finalist. Jayden L. '25 also advanced as a State Finalist in Impromptu Speaking.   

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