Members of the Los Alamos High School Speech and Debate team. Courtesy/LAPS
Hilltalker team members attended the Logo Model United Nations tournament, earning seven awards. Photo Courtesy LAPS
LAPS News:
The Los Alamos High School Hilltalkers Speech and Debate team wrapped up a successful February with strong showings at back-to-back tournaments, numerous awards/placings and nationwide recognition for two Hilltalkers.
The Hilltalkers started their February season strong with 23 team members attending the Lobo Model United Nations Tournament. Competitors worked in a range of delegations including crisis simulations based on the Hunger Games, the Somalia Wars, and the Space Coalition. The team did an outstanding job representing their assigned roles and utilizing diplomacy skills at the tournament.
“I am so proud of their hard work and achievement at this competition, especially as they learned about topics not commonly included in classroom content,” stated Tacarra Lake, assistant coach for the Hilltalkers.
2024 Lobo Model United Nations winners include:
Best delegate – Carina Lanier (Puntland)
Honorable mention – Anna Simakov and Ian Price (Peru)
Best delegation – Luke Creel and Sebastian Koglin (Vietnam)
Best delegate – Linnhtet Htoon (Mars Coalition)
Best delegate – Minhtet Htoon (JCC Russian Revolution)
Outstanding delegate – Emma Frost (Katniss Everdeen)
Best delegate – Sam Pesiri (Tigris Snow)
A week after their success at the Lobo MUN Tournament, the team competed at the annual New Mexico State Speech and Debate Championship held at V. Sue Cleveland High School.
The Hilltalkers received the New Mexico Speech and Debate Overall School of Excellence Award for earning the most team points throughout the state championship. The team has earned this award consecutively for the past 10 years.
The team saw individual accomplishments on the awards stage and is proud to congratulate the following State Tournament Winners:
Dramatic Interpretation
Carina Lanier – 2nd place
Matthea Fung – 4th place
United States Extemporaneous Speaking
Minhtet Htoon – 6th place
Duo Interpretation
Luke Favorite and Carina Lanier – 4th place
Humorous Interpretation
Tevi Funaki – 1st place
Program Oral Interpretation
Lin Wolf – 2nd place
Tevi Funaki – 3rd place
Matthea Fung – 5th place
Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate
Uxue Sansinena – 3rd place
Congressional Debate – Senate
Luke Favorite – 2nd place
Congressional Debate- House
Max Posade – 3rd place
Minhtet Htoon – 5th place
Senior Luke Favorite received two specialized State tournament awards for his impressive performance in Congressional Debate: the Lockhart Henry Presiding Officer Award and the Outstanding Legislator Award. Both awards honor Favorite’s devotion and success in Congressional Debate for the past four years.
This past week, Hilltalker Uxue Sansinena received a Speaking and Service Award from the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA). Sansinena earned this award by earning 200 Speech and Debate service points in an individual academic year. The NSDA is the nation’s oldest academic honors society and the Los Alamos High School Hilltalkers have been charter members of the NSDA since 1962. Margo Batha, Hilltalkers head coach said, “The Hilltalkers are proud of Uxue receiving national recognition for her devotion to the Hilltalkers and her surrounding community.”
Furthermore, Luke Favorite received the Premier Distinction Award for earning 1500 Speech and Debate Points. The Premier Distinction award is the highest-ranking award a competitor can earn in the National Speech and Debate Association. Favorite has competed in Speech and Debate beginning in his 8th-grade year as a Hawktalker under coach Sherri Bublitz.
The Hilltalkers are extremely grateful for the support provided by the Los Alamos community and the team is looking forward to competing at the New Mexico District National Qualifier Tournament later this month and the Youth and Government conference in April.
This past week, Hilltalker Uxue Sansinena received a Speaking and Service Award from the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA). Sansinena earned this award by earning 200 Speech and Debate service points in an individual academic year. The NSDA is the nation’s oldest academic honors society and the Los Alamos High School Hilltalkers have been charter members of the NSDA since 1962. Margo Batha, Hilltalkers head coach said, “The Hilltalkers are proud of Uxue receiving national recognition for her devotion to the Hilltalkers and her surrounding community.”
Furthermore, Luke Favorite received the Premier Distinction Award for earning 1500 Speech and Debate Points. The Premier Distinction award is the highest-ranking award a competitor can earn in the National Speech and Debate Association. Favorite has competed in Speech and Debate beginning in his 8th-grade year as a Hawktalker under coach Sherri Bublitz.
The Hilltalkers are extremely grateful for the support provided by the Los Alamos community and the team is looking forward to competing at the New Mexico District National Qualifier Tournament later this month and the Youth and Government conference in April.
State Congress debaters (left to right) Luke Creel, Maximus Posada, Minthet Htoon, Zoe Bent, Bella Blair, Uxue Sansinena, and Luke Favorite. Photo Courtesy LAPS