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Neighbors | Submitted.Pictured are the 58 Austintown Fitch students who participated in the 48th annual Austintown Optimist Club Invitational Speech Tournament.
On Nov. 19 at Fitch High School, the Austintown Optimist Club and the Austintown Fitch High School speech and debate team sponsored the 48th annual Austintown Optimist Club Invitational Speech Tournament.
Six hundred and thirty two students from 20 schools participated in this event consisting of 12 categories in speech and debate. This contest is the first “state qualifying” event and the first “power round” of the season. Fifty-eight Fitch students participated, including very talented freshmen and sophomores.
During the 2015 debate season, the Fitch Debate team qualified 20 students for state finals competition with the help of their seven coaches.
Individual trophy winners include: in Declamation, Romond DuVal in fourth place and Taylor Baer in third place; in Humorous Interpretation, Jala Beasley Williams took third place; in Dramatic Interpretation, Amber Sierra wook sixth place; in Duo Interpretation, Paul Stanton and Josh Harker came in seventh place; in Informative Speaking, Wendy Liu came in fifth place and Angel Ciccarelli came in third place; in Original Oratory, Johnna Blystone took sixth place; in Public Forum Debate, Lauren Good and Jason Long won first place; in Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Giavanna LaGamba took second place and Ross Bailey came in seventh place; in Student Congress, Tess Korodi came in second place; in United States Extemp, Alex Giavannone came in seventh place; in International Extemp, David Gunger took fourth place.
The Austintown Optimist club thanks the Fitch debate team coaches and especially the student officers of the team for all the work they did in organizing this wonderful event.