Two Blue Valley Southwest debate teams took home state titles in the Kansas Class 5A state championship earlier this month.
The high school won both the four-speaker and two-speaker debate events, which district officials say is a rare accomplishment.
Two teams took home trophies
- Seniors Brett Cranor and Vinny Sandhu as well as juniors Maggie Howerton and Amy Lloyd competed and won this year’s four-speaker debate.
- Also, juniors Raghuvamsh Penugondia and Rishi Shetty took home the crown in the two-speaker event.
- “For our team in particular, I think we research really well,” BVSW debate coach Ryan McFarland said. “All of the kids work incredibly hard, and I think that’s ultimately why we’re pretty successful.”
This is not BVSW’s first debate title
- Since opening in 2010, the high school has accumulated a total of 15 state titles for debate from the Kansas State High School Activities Association, McFarland said.
- “I’ve been the coach for the last five years, and we’ve won six in that time alone,” he said.
BVSW will go on to compete at nationals
- Three of BVSW’s debate teams qualified for the National Catholic Forensic League, whose nationals will take place in Kentucky in May.
- Then, in June, two of the school’s teams will compete in the National Speech & Debate Tournament in Phoenix, Ariz., according to McFarland.
Two other Blue Valley schools also ranked
- Seniors Lizzie Place and Lily Ren of Blue Valley North took second place in the Class 6A two-speaker debate.
- This year, a Blue Valley West team also ranked 3rd in the 6A four-speaker event.
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