Four National Champions at Speech & Debate Competition
American Heritage Schools' Junior High students from the Broward Campus showcased their exceptional talent at the 2024 National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) National Tournament, held in Des Moines, Iowa. Our Junior High team achieved unprecedented success in this year’s competition. The school made history by being the only institution in the nation to win the top awards in high school and middle school categories.
The Junior High Team made history by becoming national champions in four categories: Public Forum Debate, Dramatic Interpretation, Poetry, and Duo Interpretation. In addition to earning 21 individual accolades, the team also earned the prestigious School of Excellence in Speech and Debate award (Top 3 Schools in the Nation) and the Top Team Sweepstakes Award, marking our first time receiving the Top Team Sweepstakes award at this level.
Team Awards
2024 School of Excellence in Speech and Debate (Top 3 Schools in the Nation)
Top Team Sweepstakes Award
Individual Awards:
Dramatic Interpretation
Gabriella Otero - NATIONAL CHAMPION
Poetry
Gabriella Otero - NATIONAL CHAMPION
Duo Interpretation
Gabriella Otero and Mathis Rothschild - NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Tidyan Baazi Pujol and Justin Newberg - 2nd Place
Jade Pollack and Medaline Zhuravel - Semifinalists
Original Spoken Word
Gabriella Otero - 2nd Place
Public Form Debate
Rachel Cohen and Anthony Fateev- NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Saphara Kelegama and Cristina Alvarez - Quarterfinalists
Roma Agarwal and Melody Cheng - Quarterfinalists
Cristina Alvarez- 4th Place Top Speaker Award
Melody Cheng - 9th Place Top Speaker Award
Impromptu Speaking
Madeline Zhuravel - 3rd Place
Mathis Rothschild-Semifinalist
Storytelling
Jacob Mendelson - 5th Place
Mathis Rothschild - Semifinalist
Congressional Debate
Shyam Muhunthan - Semifinalist
Prose Interpretation
Simon Aljure-Jauregui - Semifinalist
Justin Newberg - Quarterfinalist
Mathis Rothschild - Quarterfinalist
Humorous Interpretation
Tidyan Baazi Pujol - Quarterfinalist
Original Oratory
Charlotte Nathanson - Quarterfinalist
About the National Speech & Debate Association
The National Speech & Debate Association connects, supports, and inspires a diverse community committed to empowering students through speech and debate. Established in 1925, the NSDA aims to foster communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creative skills among students. By providing recognition and support for high school students participating in these activities, the NSDA envisions a world where every school offers speech and debate programs to develop these essential skills.