WHS’s Speech and Debate team will be participating in the Ohio Speech and Debate state tournament on March 6 and 7, 2026, at South Range High School in Canfield, Ohio. Six WHS seniors have qualified for this event and have shared their experiences on Speech and Debate, while also discussing their favorite moments and events from their time on the team.
Rebecca Nichols is a two-time Speech and Debate state championship qualifier and a one-time Speech and Debate national championship qualifier. She has been participating for two years. Her event for her senior year is Program Oral Interpretation.
“I find my own pieces of literature, like poems, articles or music, and I splice them up and piece the literature together to create a seamless story line with a climax and resolution, which must be performed in over seven minutes, and under 10:30 minutes,” Nichols said.
Nichols qualified for states during her first year on the team. She ranked in the top half of competitors but did not place at the tournament. However, she is still grateful for the opportunity.
“Going to the state tournament is such a wonderful opportunity that I am so excited for, and I’m so happy for everyone on my team that is coming with me in this incredible event,” Nichols said.
Like others in Speech and Debate, Nichols explains that the bonds made on the team are her favorite part of participating, and why she has continued to do so.
“Speech and Debate has become a huge part of my life, and I’m forever grateful that I was coerced to join the team,” said Nichols. “The friendships I have made on the team and at different tournaments will stick with me for years to come. I have been able to come out of my shell and find my own confidence, not only in public speaking, but in leading others and in my own personal life, and I have this wonderful activity to thank.”
Riley Gibson is a two-time Speech and Debate state championship qualifier and has been in Speech and Debate for two years. During her senior year, she has been participating in Original Oratory.
“[In Original Oratory,] I go into a senate chamber, where I’ll debate with other senators for certain bills where we argue to affirm or negate bills passing in our student senate,” Gibson said.
Gibson qualified for states during her junior year while participating in Declamation. She had been interested in joining Speech and Debate for several years, and is happy that she was given the opportunity to join the team.
“I’ve always wanted to join Speech and Debate since I was in middle school, but I was just able to do it the last two years,” Gibson said. “I was influenced to join by some of my friends on the team, and I wanted to join an activity where I could learn to improve my public speaking skills, as well as use my voice on issues I find important.”
She is hopeful for states and wishes to see her teammates do well at the tournament.
“I’m a little nervous for states for sure, I’m [competing] in a category I don’t normally do, but I’m excited to hang out with my friends and do the best that I can,” Gibson said.
Rebekah Murphy is a four-time state qualifier and a two-time state championship semifinalist, and she has been participating in Speech and Debate since her freshman year. During her senior year, she has been participating in Informative Speaking.
According to Murphy, she originally joined the team because she wanted to challenge herself beyond her schoolwork, and she believed Speech and Debate would give her the skills needed for her college education and her personal life.
Throughout her time on Speech and Debate, Murphy has also won awards for her outstanding efforts. She was awarded the Academic All American from the National Speech and Debate Association, which recognizes students who have done exceptionally well in school and have exhibited strong leadership efforts in Speech and Debate.
Murphy explained that participating in Speech and Debate has greatly improved her speaking skills, both within and outside the organization, throughout her high school career.
“For me, I’ve dabbled in a lot of different events, and I’ve watched or judged almost all of them,” Murphy said. “I’ve really enjoyed learning the quirks of each event and applying it to my own event to make my piece even better. Learning all the different events has made me a better speaker and more confident overall.”
The 2026 state tournament has made Murphy excited to compete against other schools, giving her another chance to showcase her skills. But according to Murphy, she still feels bittersweet about the event.
“While I’m excited to compete, I will be sad to leave Speech and Debate behind once I graduate,” Murphy said. “[But] I’m most excited to spend one of my last tournaments with my teammates, and just continuing to support each other through the speech season and beyond.”
Lucy Straub is a two-time Speech and Debate state championship qualifier and has been on Speech and Debate for a total of three years. She participates in the Informative Speaking event.
In informative speaking, the goal is to teach the audience about a topic that the student researches. Students can select any topic they wish to speak about. These can range from more serious topics, such as world hunger, to more lighthearted topics like internet culture.
During her junior year, she reached the quarterfinals of the state tournament. Straub stated that her senior year will be her second time going to states.
“I’m a little nervous about the judging, it tends to be extra subjective at states,” Straub said. “Other than that, I’m excited to compete somewhere new and hopefully progress further at states this year.”
For this year’s state competition, Straub is excited to compete against people outside of the local Speech and Debate district and see her teammates win awards for their performances.
On Feb. 21, 2026, Straub qualified for the national tournament, making her senior year her first year competing in nationals. She was one of two Speech and Debate team members who qualified for the national tournament. The National Tournament will be held in Richmond, Va. from June 14 to 19, 2026.
She encourages any student interested in public speaking or debate to join the team, as it has helped her in many ways.
“Speech and Debate is one of the most impactful things I’ve ever done,” Straub said. “Not only did it significantly improve my public speaking skills, [but] it also made me a much more confident person. The environment is so diverse and accepting, and I’d encourage anyone to join.”
Jack Mallory and Kendall Randolph are former 2025 Speech and Debate state champions. This year, they have qualified once more for the state competition and will be competing on March 6 and 7, 2026.
Randolph is a former Speech and Debate state champion, a four-time state tournament qualifier and a two-time national championship qualifier. She has been participating in Speech and Debate for four years. Her events include Duo Interpretation and Dramatic Interpretation. Randolph won the Speech and Debate state championship her junior year with Mallory in Duo Interpretation.
“Every single moment this association has given me has been such an incredible honor,” said Randolph.
She also holds a Distinction of Outstanding, which is one of the highest honors a student competitor can receive, according to Randolph. This distinction is earned through the use of merit points, which are awarded to students based on their placements, performance, volunteering, coaching, attendance and judging scores in the National Speech & Debate Association. Randolph was also awarded the Academic All American title her junior year. The Academic All American recognizes students in speech and debate who have earned at least 750 merit points, shown outstanding leadership and have at least a 3.7 GPA.
Though she has many favorite moments, Randolph shared which one is the most special to her.
“If I had to truly pick [my favorite moment,] it would be the moment Jack and I found out we broke into Finals at states,” said Randolph. “And I say that because it’s the most terrifying process I’ve ever experienced. All the competitors from the event walk on stage in front of everyone, and the announcer picks off everyone from 12th place down to 7th. Each person walks off with their trophy. Which leaves the finalists on stage. It was the most euphoric feeling in the world.”
For Randolph, going to the state tournament her senior year has been equal parts nerve-racking and exhilarating. She stated that the competition, harsh judging and nerves are what drive her to
do well at the tournament. She hopes that other students may experience the same.
“With Speech and Debate, I have the power to perform for myself and see the incredible outcomes it gives me,” said Randolph. “That can be anyone. I discovered what I want for my future and for myself here, and there’s nothing more I want than for someone else to discover that too.”
Mallory is a three-time Speech and Debate state championship qualifier, a former Speech and Debate state champion, and a national Speech and Debate championship qualifier. Mallory has been on the Wadsworth Speech and Debate team for three years. He participates in the humor event on his own and in Duo Interpretation with Randolph. Mallory and Randolph won the state tournament during their junior year and went on to compete in the national tournament.
His senior year marks his third time participating in the state competition. For states, he and Randolph will be basing their Duo Interpretation performance on “Children of the New World” by Alexander Weinstein. “Children of the New World” is set in a reality where technology and artificial intelligence have taken over the world. Mallory and Randolph play as a couple who use headsets to enter a virtual augmented reality where they can interact with other people and visit cities when their children go to sleep, and one of the virtual cities they visit, known as the Dark City, sends viruses to the real world that infect their children. The two are then faced with deleting everything they own, including their kids, in order to save their home.
While states is an exciting prospect for most, Mallory stated he is nervous for the event.
“We have to uphold a sort of standard from last year, and I just really hope we can do it,” said Mallory.
His memories from Speech and Debate are ones that he hopes other students will someday also experience.
“If you ever feel like you need a place [where] you will belong, or if you ever feel like you want to use your voice to spread a message, Speech has changed my life, and I really think it might change yours,” said Mallory.
