Students bring home honors from the 2016 National Speech and Debate Association Championships.
BERNARDS -- Ridge High School received a "School of Outstanding Distinction Award" at the 2016 National Speech and Debate Association Championships.
Ridge, one of more than 1,200 schools attending the national championship held last month in Salt Lake City, finished as one of the top 10 performing schools.
In addition to the team award, June graduate Ariaki Dandawate won the national championship in Program Oral Interpretation, an event that required her to prepare a 10-minute program on the "Whitewashing of Hollywood Roles." Dandawate competed against 210 students, advancing through six preliminary rounds and six elimination rounds before capturing the championship and a $500 scholarship in the final round.
June graduates Eric Wan took second-place honors in Congressional Debate and Vaikunth Balaji finished third in International Extemporaneous Speaking. Balaji was also recognized for being a four-time qualifier to the national championship. Other finalists included Shawn Kant, who came in fifth place in Extemporaneous Commentary, and Katherine Kleinle who took seventh-place honors in Congressional Debate - House.
According to David Yastremski, director of the Ridge Forensics program, this year was the team's most successful appearance at a national championship. "This was the sixteenth year that Ridge has been represented at this very prestigious event. To have five students in the final rounds is truly a testament to their hard work and discipline," said Yastremski, who received one of the 10 District Leadership awards at the event.
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