Once again, the Syosset High School Forensics Society scored big at the New York State Forensic League Championship Tournament held at Hofstra University April 29-30. The team won 1st place in the Speech events division, placed 2nd in both the Debate events and Student Congress divisions, and won the award for Best Overall in the state!
This year’s team produced three individual state champions as well: Ronit Dhulia (Lincoln/Douglas debate-novice level); the team of Jahnavi Arora and Aram Moghaddassi (Lincoln/Douglas debate-varsity level) and Iree Mann (Oral Interpretation-varsity level).
According to Syosset Forensics Society adviser Lydia Esslinger, students qualify for the state competition either through a consistently good showing during the academic year or at a regional qualifying competition. Eighty students from Syosset High School's team qualified for the championship this year, capturing numerous awards. Syosset Forensics also remains a top debate team in the country, holding its position among the top 1% and consistently ranking in the top 10, overall.
The team is also sending a large number of students to two major national tournaments. Twenty-three students qualified for the National Catholic Forensic League Grand National Tournament to be held in Louisville, Kentucky later this month, while twelve qualified for the National Speech and Debate Association National Tournament to be held in Birmingham, Alabama in June. Esslinger will be honored there with the Eighth-Degree Diamond Award as a member of the NSDA Honor Society whose teams have earned at least 22,000 points.
Participants at the state competition were judged based on varsity, junior varsity, and novice levels for categories Lincoln/Douglas debate (LD), extemporaneous speaking (EX), declamation (DEC), public forum debate (PF), oral interpretation (OI), dramatic interpretation (DI), original oratory (OO), and congress (CONG).
Individual awards winners are:
• Zan Ahmed (VEX, 2nd)• Nishant Bhaumik (VEX, 4th)• Rushabh Mehta (VEX, Semifinalist)• Simar Kohli (VEX, Quarterfinalist)• Sahil Rustami (JVEX, Semifinalist)• Avneet Chhabra (JVEX, Quarterfinalist)• Jason Lan (JVEX, Quarterfinalist)• Ronit Dhulia (NLD, State Champion)• Ryan Moon (JVLD, Octofinalist)• Jahnavi Arora/Aram Moghaddassi (VLD, State Champions)• Leanna Faimon (VLD, Octofinalist)• Elizabeth Ruggiero and Hersh Ved (NPF, Double Octofinalists)• Diya Chadha and Malini Rudra (JVPF, Octofinalists)• Eugene Lee and Sarah Schwartzberg (JVPF, Octofinalists)• Iree Mann (DI, 2nd/ VOI, State Champion)• Alvee Chowdhury (VOI, 4th )• Rebecca Weisberger (VOI, Semifinalist)• Jordan Stecker (DI, 7th)• Brooke Lewitas (DI, Semifinalist)• Alisha Saluja (5th, Impromptu)• Gabrielle Bieder (JVOI, 5th)• Janvi Pamnani (OO, Semifinalist)• Brian Bertrand (OO, Quarterfinalist)• Mariam Malik (OO, Quarterfinalist) • Suhail Younus (CONG, 10th)• Jack Liu (CONG, Semifinalist)• Sohail Mohammed (CONG, Semifinalist)• Rahul Rokkam (CONG, Semifinalist)• Pia Paul (CONG, Semifinalist)
Pictured are Syosset’s winners from the New York State Forensic League Championship Tournament with Esslinger.
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