The Speech and Debate Team members competed in numerous events including Congressional Debate, Public Forum, Public Address, and Interpretation at the University of Florida’s Blue Key Tournament from Oct. 26 to 29. 11 students advanced to elimination rounds with 5 final round participants. 

“My experience competing at Blue Key was draining but challenging in a good way. When faced with harder and harder competition, you’re able to use techniques that you aren’t able to in local tournaments,” Public Forum double-octofinalist and communications sophomore Zijia Mo said. “Stuff you normally see only on recordings of rounds online are applied and used against you, and this makes you a much better debater comparing yourself at the start and the end of the round.”

The following students placed in their respective events:

Shailee Patel — Sixth Place in Dramatic Interpretation

Mariana Colom — Semifinalist in Original Oratory 

Sofia Hennessey-Correa — Sixth Place in Program Oral Interpretation

Zijia Mo and Ava Fiala — Double Octofinalists in Public Forum 

Karina Brown — Finalist in Student Congress

Arik Karim — Fourth in Student Congress

Ashwin Kishor — Finalist in Student Congress

Gavin Murray — Semifinalist in Student Congress

Sofia Derk — Semifinalist in Student Congress

Bailee Simmers — Semifinalist in Student Congress