The Valdosta Speech and Debate Team recently competed at the prestigious National Speech and Debate Tournament held in Des Moines, Iowa, on June 15, 2025. The tournament featured 6,459 student entries from 1,185 schools across the nation, representing the highest level of competition in speech and debate activities.
Rhaniah Payne led the team with an outstanding performance in Dramatic Interpretation, advancing through ten preliminary rounds to secure 18th place out of 256 competitors nationwide. Payne's journey included several stellar performances, receiving multiple first-place rankings throughout the preliminary rounds. Ada Brown competed in two events, reaching the third round in Storytelling where she placed 197th out of 491 entries, and completing six rounds of Humorous Interpretation.
Valdosta High School students Marzell Usher, Rumi Garbett-Chaitram, and Christopher Litster competed as the GA Southern Peach Gold Team in World Schools Debate.
The team demonstrated their debating prowess by securing victories in rounds one and three of the preliminary competition, showcasing their ability to construct persuasive arguments on the national stage.
Marzell Usher distinguished himself in the individual speaker awards for World Schools Debate, ranking 90th out of 570 competitors. His consistent performance throughout the tournament contributed significantly to the team's overall success at this high-caliber competition. Additionally, Marzell was recognized as one of a small group of students who qualified and competed at the National Tournament all four years of High school
Jacob Campbell represented Valdosta in Humorous Interpretation, completing all six preliminary rounds and finishing 207th in a competitive field of 265 performers. Kevin Mapp participated in both Lincoln-Douglas Debate and Extemporaneous Commentary, gaining valuable national tournament experience. Other team members including Zakiya White (Informative Speaking), Jessica Mohanty (Program Oral Interpretation), Sophia Moore (Original Oratory), and Rumi Garbett-Chaitram (Poetry) all completed their respective preliminary rounds against the nation's top competitors.
The Valdosta Speech and Debate Team would like to extend sincere gratitude to the volunteer judges who made this tournament possible. Without their dedication and expertise, events of this caliber would not be possible. The experience gained at this national competition will undoubtedly serve the team well as they continue to develop their speaking and argumentation skills.