Speech & Debate Earns National Recognition

GlenOak High School’s Speech & Debate team made an impressive showing at the National Individual Events Tournament of Champions (NIETOC) this past weekend, competing against some of the top programs in the country.

This marked GlenOak’s first appearance at the prestigious national tournament, where students faced off against previous national finalists and nationally ranked teams from across the United States. Despite the high level of competition, GlenOak students delivered outstanding performances and advanced in multiple events.

Individual and team honors included:
• Cory Hillton, 7th Place in Program Oral Interpretation (POI)
• Katie Dever & Conner Belden, Duo Quarterfinalists
• Charlie Burton, Original Oratory Quarterfinalist
• Katie Dever, Drama Octafinalist

Students representing GlenOak at the tournament included Cory Hillton, Charlie Burton, Johari Abdul-Zahir, Katie Dever, Francesca Codispoti, and Conner Belden. As a team, GlenOak finished 17th in the Act II division out of 67 schools and placed 32nd overall among 139 teams competing at the national tournament.

The success at NIETOC reflects the dedication, preparation, and talent of GlenOak’s Speech & Debate students and coaching staff. Congratulations to the team on an outstanding national performance and for representing GlenOak with excellence.