Medina speech and debate team earns top finishes at state tournament

More than 200 Medina High School speech and debate students competed in Congressional Debate at the recent Ohio Speech and Debate Association (OSDA) State Tournament, delivering strong performances with multiple students placing in both the House and Senate chambers.

In the Senate chamber, Lincoln Marks earned first place, while Holland Roller placed fifth. In the House chamber, Kate Cline finished third, Kaylee Chalmers placed fourth and Alysia Aldea finished fifth. Mason Heibert advanced to the semifinal chamber, ultimately finishing 19th overall in the tournament.

In addition to her placement, Kaylee Chalmers was recognized as the tournament’s top presiding officer, an honor awarded to the student who demonstrated exceptional leadership and effectiveness in guiding debate.

The tournament also awarded scholarships to several top competitors. For his first-place finish, Lincoln Marks received a $400 scholarship, and Kate Cline was selected as the Christian Science Monitor Debate Scholarship winner, earning a $500 scholarship.

The Medina High School team also received two team honors: the Excellence in Debate Award and the Excellence in Coaching Award, recognizing both the students’ performance and the strength of the program’s leadership.

Following their showing at the state level, the Congressional Debate team prepared for the upcoming national qualifier, scheduled for two weeks later. At that event, team members will attempt to join Ava Campbell and McKenna Gallagher, who have already qualified for nationals through the Public Forum National Qualifier.