Needham Speech and Debate Puts Exclamation Point on Local Season

The Needham Speech and Debate Team put a rockety-red glare on the local season April 6th at Catholic Memorial, finishing fourth overall. State championships were earned in multiple reading where the team of juniors Ben Fogler, Mia Maffeo, Anika Ray, Simon Shoemaker, and Emma Zhang put on a most ‘ducky’ performance of ‘Greater Tuna’- the only competitive rank where last year’s reserve championship could be excelled. Junior Fogler earned a hand himself by winning an additional second state crown in dramatic performance, showing he was no puppet of his past experiences. Shoemaker hauled in hardware in two additional events for a total of three, , adding a fifth place award in oratory through being seriously funny, and sixth place in duo interpretation with partner ninth grader Miles Yountz.
Ninth grade Madeleine Clark earned the reserve championship in declamation, showing that level of success was not a fantasy.. Similarly, sophomore Katherine Calton was reserve champion in poetry reading. Sophomore Szilvia Robertson showed her own success novice year was no child’s play, achieving sixth place in children’s literature. Junior Talia Musmon ‘versified’ her way to fourth place in poetry reading. On the other end of the grade level spectrum, senior Cameron Markowitz was fifth in group discussion.. Congressional Debater a finalist in his own legislative fashion. Similarly, junior Emily Flanagan showed ‘long knowledge in a short time’ by reaching semifinals in impromptu.
Strong Needham performances were by children's literature maven junior Mary Scott Dunn, ninth graders Zoe Berg, Maggie Sharrard, and Yountz, the duo team of juniors Maffeo and Ray and impromptu speakers Clark, junior Ananya Sharma, and sophomore Dan Golmohammadi. Sharma was a triple entered threat, who lost her voice at times but not her skill also achieved highly in poetry and prose. Zhang also triple entered to a high level with prose and poetry in addition to the aforementioned multiple. Informative speaker junior Leah Wang , sophomore Mia Allen in play reading showed ‘the play is the thing’ and, with sophomore Radio Broadcaster Briana Sickmier, and orator ninth grader Ayla-Ryann Thompson being similarly successful., as was Musmon in prose and Calton in poetry.
Judging for Nedham were parent David Markowitz, coaches Tyler Bates, Jackson Carr, Greg Cunningham Matt Friosi, Joanna Goldenberg, Adam Nir, Beth Peters,and PJ Wexler. The team looks forward to attend nationals In Chicago and Des Moines this coming spring.