Countless Smiles
Sochi Egbube, Leah Ghebrelul, Erica Carranza, Sarah Abi Saab, and Debate Coach Derek Davis pose for a picture after winning their octos-qualifying round. With zero prep on their topic, the team had to improvise throughout the round to secure the win. “We do really good when we improv, but we should probably start prepping,” Carranza said.
Throughout March 7 to 9, state qualifying competitors left for the Marriott Westchase hotel in Houston, Texas for the annual TFA State Tournament. With rounds starting as early as 8:30 AM, students were excused from school and competed till 9 PM for the first two days. With enough points in both World Schools Debate and Congress, competitors were eligible to debate the third day. World Schools Team LASER set an all-time record by making it to the octos round, and Congressional debater Nyla Whiteside broke to semifinals. Despite these success, there is little time to celebrate with Space City Qualifiers and the International Bluebonnet tournament coming up.
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