Ridge HS Speech & Debate Team Take 2nd Place Overall In Tournament

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — The state champion Ridge High School Speech & Debate Team kicked off their local tournament circuit this past weekend at Phillipsburg High School, where four students were named champion of their respective categories, and the team took second place overall sweepstakes.

The champions include senior Natalie Ramierez Porras in Programmed Oral Interpretation; juniors Andrew Cui in Congress and Navya Raju in Extemporaneous Speaking; and sophomore Amulya Kollipara in Declamation.

Additional outstanding performances were given by seniors Natalie Ramirez Porras (third; Improvisational Acting), Grace Aulicino (fifth; Programmed Oral Interpretation and sixth; Improvisational Acting) and Rebecca Davidov (sixth; Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate); juniors Saketha Kedarsetty (second; Impromptu Speaking), Mannan Pandey (third; Original Oratory and fifth; Impromptu Speaking), Aditya Rai (second; Congressional Debate), Aayush Bhakey (third; Informative Speaking), Saketha Kedarsetty (fifth; Informative Speaking), Yash Deshpande (fourth; Congressional Debate), Maryam Faizan (fifth; Improvisational Acting) and Celine Huang (sixth; Original Oratory); sophomores Eden Chacko and Faye Fletcher (fourth, Duo Interpretation), Millie Gupta (fourth; Declamation), Faye Fletcher (third, Programmed Oral Interpretation), Eden Chacko (fourth; Programmed Oral Interpretation), Aanvi Khade (fifth; Congressional Debate), Eva Chen (fifth; Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate), Shrey Sharma and Advik Sateeja (sixth; Varsity Public Forum Debate), Jia Aggarwal (ninth; Congressional Debate) and freshmen Carolina Zhao and Rosa Qin (top novices; Parliamentary Debate).

So far this year, the Ridge Forensics Team has shined at all of the tournaments they’ve participated in.

Senior Grace Aucilino was crowned champion of Programmed Oral Interpretation at the Bronx Invitational, and the team as a whole beat out 274 others from 33 different states to take first place at the Yale Invitational, where Senior Amy Cao was named Extemporaneous Speaking Champion.

Director David Yastremski says, "the team’s achievements acknowledge the great work that our Ridge students are doing, but hopefully is also a predictor of more great success this year."

The Ridge Forensics Team members practice one to three times per week with various coaches from all across the country.