Randolph Speech & Debate ended the 2024-2025 season with a whopping 78 total wins, more than double the number of wins they had the prior year.
To close the season, the team competed in two more tournaments, the New Jersey Speech & Debate League (NJSDL) State Championships at Hunterdon Central and the NJSDL Districts at Delbarton.
The results were as follows:
- Ryan Schorr, senior; first place, Impromptu Speaking and State Champion
- Ola Jankowska, sophomore; first place, Novice Congressional Debate and State Champion
- Carolyn He, senior; second place, Informative Speaking; second place, Original Oratory
- Ryan Davidson, junior; third place, Varsity Congressional Debate
- Evan Schwartz, sophomore; fifth place, Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking; semifinalist, Original Oratory
- Preston Salim, sophomore; eighth place, Novice Congressional Debate
- Thomas Draghi, senior; semifinalist, Impromptu Speaking; semifinalist, Improvisational Acting
- Jiah Shah, sophomore; semifinalist, Impromptu Speaking
- Brynne Hutner, sophomore; semifinalist, Original Oratory
- Ishaan Trivedi and Shubh Potdar, juniors; quarterfinalists, Junior Varsity Public Forum Debate
Overall Team Awards:
- Fifth place overall, Team Sweepstakes
- Fifth place overall, Speech Sweepstakes
- Sixth place overall, Debate Sweepstakes
“The win at states feels like a cherry on top of the four hard years of work I have poured into this club,” Schorr said. “These are the fruits of my labor that will have me leaving high school grateful and proud of the experience Speech & Debate has given me.”
Along with states, members had an opportunity to compete in NJSDL districts at Delbarton, which allowed them to qualify for nationals. Additionally, members could qualify for World Schools Debate, a separate national team run by RHS Speech & Debate Coach Katherine Burke. The results were as follows:
- Carolyn He, senior; national qualifier, Informative Speaking
- Ryan Davidson, junior; national qualifier, Congressional Debate
- Briana Lange, senior; awarded World Schools Debate spot
- Tanishka Shahoo, junior; awarded World Schools Debate spot
“I am so grateful for everything Speech & Debate has given me,” He said. “I know no matter what the outcome had been, I would have walked away feeling fulfilled. Trophies don’t matter to me; the people do.”
At the end of the spectacular season, Speech & Debate bid a fond farewell to a multitude of seniors who will be move on to college in the fall. “It is bittersweet leaving, as I will miss the program and the people,” senior Debate President Briana Lange said. “But I am excited to explore new debate related opportunities in college. I know the team will do amazing next year and cannot wait to see what they accomplish.”
