West Des Moines Valley Debate Team Wins Sweepstakes

Valley High School captured the school’s first state high school debate title since 2008, finishing 15 points ahead of the nearest competitor in the Iowa High School Speech Association State Debate Tournament last week.

The tournament featured competition in policy, Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum and Congressional debate. Valley students excelled in all four events, according to a story on the West Des Moines Community School District’s web site.

Individuals excelling included:

• In Lincoln-Douglas debate, senior Lucy Korsakov placed second, senior Nanticha Lutt and junior Jason Smith placed third and fourth, while sophomores Grady Stein and Gina Scorpiniti placed fifth and sixth. 
• In Public Forum debate, the team of junior Carolyn Hoemann and sophomore Lexy Takla were in quarterfinals. 
• In student congress, freshman John Anthony Danos, at his first congressional debate ever, advanced to the consolation round and won Valley’s first Student Congress state medal in five years.