NEEDHAM SPEECH AND DEBATE IN CRIMSON AND CLOVER AT HARVARD INVITATIONAL
2/20/12 Cambridge, MA. The Needham Speech and Debate Team rode a crimson wave of success at the Harvard University Invitational, which as the largest invitational in the nation is the ’US Open’ of forensics.
Juniors George Chamoun and Matt Goldberg (extemporaneous speaking and varsity Lincoln-Douglas Debate), along with sophomore Josh LItchman (semis, Congressional Debate) reached elimination rounds.
Junior Steve Cromp and sophomores Chad Goldstein and Drew Reidy missed advancing to elimination rounds in varsity LD and junior varsity public forum debate based on speaker points.
Also solidly competing were varsity debaters Shlagha Karjee,Jack Longley,Alex Odonnell, and Emily Pasternack, junior varsity debaters Brendan Chin and Greg Raubach, and original orator David Wexler.
Judging for Needham were coach Nicole Dalton and alums Cady Gallagher ‘11 and Ethan Marram-Samet ‘11. - Paul Wexler
NEEDHAM QUALIFIES SEVEN TO CATHOLIC FORENSIC LEAGUE GRAND NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
2/12/12 Shrewsbury, MA - Seven Needham students qualified to the National Catholic Forensic League’s Grand National Tournament to be held in Baltimore Memorial Day weekend.
In Lincoln-Douglas debate juniors Matt Goldberg and Emily Pasternack, in extemp junior George Chamoun, in declamation sophomore Chloe Weiss, and in duo sophomores Miranda Knox and David Wexler.
Sophomore Andrew Tierney was first alternate in Congressional Debate but will attend the national tournament.
Junior Ben Grebber is first alternate in Lincoln-Douglas Debate.
Also competing was Congressional Debater Anbo Wei, LD Debaters Steve Cromp (2nd alternate) Jack Longley, and Liz Cylkowski who braved the varsity field as a novice.
The duo team of Casey Mahalik and Julia Redston and delaimer Zilin Cui also performed well, as did Wexler in original oratory and Knox in oral interpretation.
Serving as assistant debate director was alum Cady Gallagher ‘11 and judges for Needham included coach Nicole Dalton and parents Pamela Knox and Robin Miller. - Paul Wexler
NEEDHAM QUALIFIES TWO TO NATIONAL FORENSIC LEAGUE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
2/4/12 Manchester, MA. - Two Needham students qualified to the National Forensics League National Tournament at the New England District Tournament February 3 - 4 at Manchester-Essex Regional High School.
Junior George Chamoun was district champion in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking while junior Emily Pasternack was second in Lincoln-Douglas debate. The top two in each forensic category qualified for the national tournament.
Solid performances were turned in by second alternate in Lincoln-Douglas sophomore Nate Rosin, Duo finalists sophomores Miranda Knox and David Wexler, domestic extemporaneous semifinalist Sara Castiglia, and sixth place LD Debate Matt Goldberg.
Knox and Wexler also competed at a high level in Dramatic Interp and Original Oratory respectively, and the public forum teams of Chad Goldstein and Drew Reidy, Andrew Tierney and Josh LItchman, Liz Cylkowsiki and Greg Raubach, and Sara Castigia and Anbo Wei also were exemplary.
Parent Maureen Chamoun, assistant coach Nicole Dalton, and Cady Gallagher '11 judged for Needham. The Needham Team was also awarded the Leading Chapter Award, for success from 1995 - 2011. - Paul Wexler
NEEDHAM HAS A FLASHBACK EXPERIENCE AT REVERE
1/28/12 Revere, MA - Congratulations to the Speech and Debate Team, which had a revolutionary experience at Revere HS “Early 90s Flashback” tournament.
The New England District National Qualifier was also held Saturday, January 28th. Needham finished sixth in the large schools division. In the speech portion of the tournament, juniors George Chamoun and Emily Pasternack were tournament champions in radio broadcasting and varsity extemporaneous speaking, respectively.
Junior Steve Cromp was 2nd in group discussion. Fourth place trophies were earned by sophomores David Wright in original oratory and Brad Wright in 90s Sales Pitch.
Sophomore Chad Goldstein earned the fourth place speaker award in Public Forum Debate. Sophomore Sara Castiglia was 5th in varsity extemporaneous, in only her second varsity league contest.
Sophomore Zilin Cui was sixth in declamation. Sophomore Chloe Weiss earned an honorable mention in dec as well.
All students, plus the Public Forum debate team of Goldstein and Drew Reidy, earned bids towards the state championships.
Also competing were senior Eva Weintraub (prose and dramatic performance), novice reader Julia Silverman, and impromptu performer Zillin Cui.
In The New England District National qualifier, Sophomore Anbo Wei ranked fifth in the Senate Division, while Joshua LItchman finished fifth in House One. Andrew Tierney ranked sixth in House Two. Also competing were Brendan Chin, Dan Distler, Liz Davis, Liz Hwang,Michael Jay, and Greg Raubach, many of whom were providing in valuable service to the New England District. Judging for Needham were parents Peter Castiglia, Chad Goldstein, Elisa Litchman, and Henry Pasternack.
The Needham successs follows up Needham students winning awards at Columbia University (David Wexler, semifinalist in original oratory, George Chamoun, quarterfinalist in extemporaneous, Matt Goldberg, ninth place in Lincoln-Douglas Debate). It also comes on the heels of a strong Lexington performance team-wide. Nathan Rosin was a quarterfinailst in novice LD Debate, with Liz Cylkowski and Greg Raubach reaching double-octo rounds. Rosin was also ninth place speaker. - Paul Wexler
NEEDHAM HAS A REVOLUTIONARY EXPERIENCE AT LEXINGTON
1/14/12 Lexington, MA - The Needham Speech and Debate Team had a revolutionary experience at Lexington HS MLK weekend.
Sophomore Nate Rosin was reached quarterfinals in Novice LD Debate, while fellow novices sophomore Greg Raubach and ninth grader Liz Cylkowski reached double-octofinals. Rosin was also ninth place speaker. Sophomores Cam Beagan, Brendan Chin and ninth grader Mariah Cronin narrowly missed reaching elimination rounds. In varsity LD Debate junior Matt Goldberg lost his 'bump' round into eliminations, while Emily Pasternack, Jack Longley, and sophomore Shlagha Karjee performed well.
Judging for Needham were class of 2011 alums Laura Furman ‘11, Cady Gallagher ‘11, Nate Lintz ‘11, Pam Levy ‘11, and Mandy McCleary ‘11, Alex O'Donnell '13, and parents Jackie Cronin, Mark Goldberg and Sanjeev Kumar, and coach PJ Wexler. - Paul Wexler
NEEDHAM SPEECH AND DEBATE ENTERS ADVENTURELAND AT NEWTON SOUTH
1/7/12 Newton, MA - The Needham Speech and Debate kicked off the 2012 year in high style at Newton South on January 7th.
Junior Emily Pasternack was tournament champion in radio broadcasting, joined in finals by top noice and fifth place finisher ninth grader Liz Cylkowski. Junior George Chamoun was fourth in extemporaneous speaking while senior Liz Hwang was an honorable mention.
Sophomores Michael Jay and Zillion Cui were fifth and sixth in storytelling, while sophomore Josh Litchman was sixth in Congressional Debate, Finalists in Congressional debate also included sophomores Andrew Tierney and Anbo Wei.
Also competing were children’s literature readers Srishti Goyal and Sammie Wong, declaimers Chloe Weiss, David Wexler, and Cui, extemper Sara Castiglia in her local varsity debut, radio broadcasters Mariah Cronin and Greg Raubach, Wexler in original oratory, Jay in impromptu, the duo interp team of Casey Mahalik and Julia Redston, and the public forum debate team of Chad Goldstein and Drew Reidy.
All award winners plus Cronin, Hwang, Weiss, Wexler, earned bids to the speech championships.
Alums Pam Levy ’11, Mandy McCleary ’11, and Gabe Weintraub ’08, as did coach PJ Wexler, judged for Needham. . - Paul Wexler
NEEDHAM SPEECH AND DEBATE PULLS OUT ALL STOPS AT HOLLY TOURNAMENT
12/17/12 Natick, MA - The Needham Speech and Debate team finished the 2012 calender year in successful fashion at the fifty-first annual Holly Speech Invitational at Natick High, finishing seventh overall.
Junior Emily Pasternack captured the tournament championship in radio broadcasting. Sophomore Miranda Knox placed fourth overall in the “Double Speak” category, recognizing students who excel in two events. Knox was seventh in prose and fifth in dramatic audition.
The TV News Team of junior Ben Grebber and sophomores Chad Goldstein and Drew Reidy finished second, becoming the tournament’s reserve champion. Sophomore Josh LItchman placed third in Congressional Debate, being joined in finals by Sophomore Anbo Wei.
Top novice awards were earned by ninth grader Mariah Cronin in radio broadcasting and sophomore Andrew Tierney in Congressional Debate. The TV News Team of juniors Matt Goldberg, Jack Longley, and Kevin Walsh earned an honorable mention.
Sophomore David Wexler was one of only fifteen students to participate in the five event demanding Pentathlon, a true “feat of endurance” according to coach P.J. Wexler.
Ninth grader Grace Li missed advancing to finals on a time violation penalty in radio broadcasting.
Bid to the State championships were earned by children’s literature reader senior Srishti Goyal, Sophomores Zillin Cui, Chloe Weiss and Wexler in declamation. Extemporaneous speaker George Chamoun, radio broadcasting sophomores Greg Raubach and Nate Rosin, along with ninth grader Liz Cylkowski, novice extempers sophomores Sara Castiglia and Michael Jay, and prose reader Eva Weintraub earned bids to states, as did original oratory sophomore Olivia Korostoff,group discussion member junior Steve Cromp, and impromptu speakers Castiglia and Chamoun and sophomore Scott Groux also earned bids to states.
Also contributing to Needham sweepstakes total were novice readers ninth graders Julia Silverman and Hannah Taylor, along with sophomore Nathan Rosin, kiddie lit reading sophomores Leah Issokson, LIndsay Mantell, and Sammie Wong, dramatic Performers junior Maddi Fruendlich and senior Eva Weintraub, the duo team of Wexler and senior Anjali Pal and sophomores Casey Mahalik and Julia Redston, play reader Michael Jay, poetry reader Kevin Walsh, prose readers Groux and Wexler, impromptu speaker Cromp and Cui, original poet Raubach, programed poetry competitors sophomore Sami Hobbs along with Mahalik and Redston, and storytellers Pasternack, Weiss, and Wexler.
Alum Ben Oehlkers ‘08, Coaches Nicole Dalton, PJ Wexler and Rosemary Calland, along with parents Marjorie Fruendlich, Pamela Knox, Michael Litchman, Mark Redston, and Mary Valle judged for Needham at largest one day speech only event east of the Mississippi. - Paul Wexler