This year’s regular speech and debate season was a success for the team, producing four national qualifiers as well as 3A and state placements. Some seniors also enjoyed success on a personal level as they prepare to graduate this spring.

During this year’s state competition March 7-9 in Cheyenne, Isabella Gomez won Best Legislation for Congress, Allie Gilliatt placed second overall in the state for Drama and first in 3A Drama and the team of Paul Cox and Kyra Morrow placed third overall in the state for Public Forum Debate, and placed first in the category in 3A.

At districts, Feb. 1-March 2 in Rock Springs, Emma Johnson, Maggie Atkinson, Gilliatt and Gomez all qualified for the National Speech and Debate Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa.

Individually, seniors Gilliatt and Gomez both met their multi-year goals.

Gilliatt has been working diligently towards qualifying for the National Speech and Debate Tournament for the past three years, she said with a smile. She and Johnson also qualified for a separate national competition, the National Invitational Tournament of Champions (NITOC.)

“I’ve been trying to qualify for nationals for three years and I got really close my sophomore and junior year. It’s pretty difficult to get up there. So when I finally did qualify, that was a big moment,” Gilliatt said.

Gomez, Gilliatt’s teammate and the speech and debate team captain, has earned the title of state ambassador, among other accolades, and qualified to compete at nationals. Gomez is an Academic All American and has qualified for the National Speech and Debate Tournament three times.

Being a state ambassador has been a goal for Gomez since she was a sophomore. Each year only six seniors are awarded the ambassador title.

“It’s been a goal of mine since I was a sophomore. So it was pretty cool to have that award and I felt pretty proud of myself,” Gomez said.

She remembered the excitement when it was clear the announcer was describing her. When they mentioned a student who helped start a middle school speech and debate team it was clear they were talking about her, she recalled.

Gomez had competed as an eighth grader before the program took a hiatus.

“I think that it’s a great opportunity and it’ll probably get all those kids a lot more interested … so I think that it’s really excellent,” she said of the middle school program. “And we’re one of the only teams right now, there’s only three or four middle school teams across the state. So we’re trailblazing.”

The Public Forum Debate team of Morrow and Cox also enjoyed their success — qualifying for state was a first for Morrow.

Cox attributed their success to teamwork.

“I think that when it comes to being in public forum, where there’s a partnership there, it’s about being on the same wavelength and being able to communicate and sort of keep our scene going just like knowing each other well enough to be able to be consistent.”

Coach Nicole Maier Reitz was also awarded her first diamond award from the National Speech and Debate association. The award is for excellence and longevity in Speech and Debate. Coaches must earn 15,000 points and coach for a minimum of five years. Maier Reitz will be recognized at the national tournament.

Rookie members Mason Coombs and Ryah Easum may not have placed at state but they enjoyed their season and their event partners. Easum said she tried debate for the first time at state.

“It was pretty crazy, but my partner was the best one I could ever be with so I was really happy with it,” she said.

The energy of the activity is also important, and for Coombs the people make speech and debate enjoyable.

“I just love the vibes of speech and debate,” Coombs said. “I think it’s really fun. Everyone, especially this team, everyone is just so hyped, and they’re super fun to be around.”