Upper School Speech Team Season Wrap-Up

Congratulations to the members of the SSFS Speech Team for a fantastic 2025-2026 season! About half of the 12-person Upper School Speech Team, coached by US history teacher Barbara von Salis, were new to the club this year. Even when when competing against one another in the same categories, our students supported and mentored one another, helping each team member be the best they could be. The team is all about collective improvement!

Speech Team is a place where people confront their fears and doubts, building confidence as they grow stronger in public speaking. Those who present more traditional forms of speeches become more adept at formulating arguments and finding evidence. Those who perform dramatic pieces learn to creatively express emotions and embody characters in a short 10-minute piece, which is in itself a challenge.

Ten of our SSFS Speech Competition Team students qualified for regionals (Metrofinals) this year, where our students performed in various categories such as Impromptu, Oral Interpretation, Original Oratory, Dramatic Performance, and Duo. Benji C. '27 placed 2nd for Impromptu and 3rd for Original Oratory at Metrofinals, and both Benji and Maxine R. advanced to Nationals, which will take place later this spring!

Other awards from league competitions this year are below:

• Phoebe (CAPTAIN): Placed 6th at WASDL 2 with “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” 
• Maxine (CAPTAIN) - Oral Interpretation: Metro Finals - 5th in our division
• Benji - Original Oratory: Placed 3rd at MetroFinals (the category he will be competing in Nationals) and Impromptu: Placed 2nd at Metrofinals
• Cecilia and Elena: Duo: Placed 3rd at WASDL 5; 4th at WASDL 4 - (2 Bronze Medals Each - 1 for WASDL 4 and 1 for WASDL 5) 
• Matthew - Placed 2nd at WASDL 4, SILVER MEDAL for WASDL 4

Shout out to our new team members who each participated in their first Speech tournament in February:

• Vivien D. competed in Impromptu Speaking (7 minute spontaneous speech based on a prompt)
• Hafsa H. delivered her Declamation speech “The Multiplier Effect” about the importance of representation

The next four students are also in their first year on the Speech team, and qualified for MetroFinals:

• Nora S., Seba and Hawa competed in the Impromptu category
• Nora S. and Elsie R. competed in Duo with a dramatic interpretation of Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass.

Finally: thank you to our non-competing seniors Annelise T. and Julia R., to alumni mentors and judges Janaan A-S and Chloe J., and to teachers Heather Carvell and Ari Peterson for helping judge in competitions. We appreciate the support of our students!