The speech and debate teams celebrated recent accolades at the Massachusetts Speech and Debate League’s (MSDL) State Championship, including a senior being named a speech state champion and a recognition for the overall speech team.
Talia Sherman ’22 captured the state championship in Dramatic Performance while the team received a third-place sweepstakes award, which measures the team’s overall success in comparison with other schools. Jack Burton ’22 was recognized for his creation and leadership of the MSDL Student Board, and was invited to give a speech, in which he acknowledged the league’s coaches for their work throughout the past two years of online competition.
In debate, four students competed in the category of Novice Public Forum and were highly successful, advancing into the elimination rounds as quarter- and semi-finalists.
Several Milton students will compete in national tournaments later this spring: Sherman, Tyler Tjan ’22, Elliot Smith ’22, Burton, Tamsin Connerly ’22, and Fernando Paiz ’23 will compete at the National Speech and Debate Association Tournament in Louisville, Kentucky, in June. Paiz, Ella Goldberg ’24, Alexa Burton ’24, Jack Burton, Neha Modak ’22, Safina Abramova ’25, Tjan, Sherman, and Omar Hamoda ’24 will participate in the National Catholic Forensic League Grand Nationals in Washington, D.C., on Memorial Day weekend.
Milton’s full results from the MSDL State Championship are as follows:
Debate
Quarter-Finalists: Felicity Wong ’25 and Valerie Gu ’25
Semi-Finalists: Annaka Schmults ’25 and Chloe Li ’25
Speech
Play Reading
Alex Wilson ’23 (second place)
Callum Hegarty ’25 (honorable mention)
Fernando Paiz ’23 (honorable mention)
Original Oratory
Omar Hamoda ’24 (top novice)
Novice Oral Interpretation
Callum Hegarty ’25 (third place)
Extemporaneous Speaking
Elliot Smith ’22 (second place)
Tyler Tjan ’22 (third place)
Neha Modak ’22 (fourth place)
Duo Interpretation
Alexa Burton ’24 and Jack Burton ’22 (second place)
Declamation
Diane Asiedu ’24 (second place)
Melvin Joseph ’24 (fourth place)
Dramatic Performance
Talia Sherman ’22 (state champion)
Jack Burton ’22 (third place)
Alexa Burton ’24 (sixth place)