Virtual Awards Ceremony
NJSDL October 2025 Online Speech Festival
Congratulations and Thank You!
Congratulations and thank you to the students, parents, judges, coaches, school administrators and countless other individuals for participating and supporting the �October 2025 NJSDL Online Speech Festival Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month!
About 50 student entries from 7 schools across NJ and FL.
Independent�Entries
NJSDL Online Speech Festival Series
The 2025-2026 NJSDL Online Speech Festival Series
Visit NJSDL.org for details and Tabroom.com or Speechwire.com for registrations
*UPDATED* January 31, 2026 - Synchronous - Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day
March 2026 - Asynchronous - Celebrating Women’s History Month
April 2026 - Asynchronous - Celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month
NJSDL Online Speech Festival Series
Gold Medal of Excellence�A) First place in elimination round events�B) Top Cumulative Ranks from three rounds of competition (typically total ranks of 3 or 4) in non-elimination events
Silver Medal of Honor�A) Second place in elimination round events�B) Second Level of Top Cumulative Ranks from three rounds of competition (typically total ranks of 5, 6, or 7) in non-elimination events
Bronze Medal Finalist�All remaining finalists in elimination rounds will receive this award
Honorable Mentions�For combined HS/MS events, this will be given to students who would have received a Gold or Silver Medal if the divisions were left separate.
THEMED Congressional Debate �Authorship Challenge
October Festival Theme Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
Themed Congressional Debate Legislation
This New Jersey Speech & Debate League (NJSDL) legislation packet includes significant portions of legislation from the National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) 2021 Diversity and Inclusion Congressional Legislation Docket which are part of the NSDA Diversity and Inclusion collection of resources as well as some legislation from the NSDA National Finals and monthly legislation packets produced by the NSDA.
The NJSDL would like to acknowledge and thank the NSDA staff, author of the NSDA monthly dockets Coach John Russell, and members of the speech and debate �community who contributed to the original legislation packets.
THEMED Congressional Debate �Authorship Challenge
October Festival Theme Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
The Congressional Debate Legislation Dockett included:
THEMED Congressional Debate �Authorship Challenge (HS/MS)
Gold Medal of Excellence�Denia Leon, Samuel W. Wolfson High School (HS)
Silver Medal of Honor�Harini Sri Arun Prasad, Hudson Arts & Science Charter School (MS)
Honorable Mentions�Gavin Arnett-Morgan, Samuel W. Wolfson High School (HS)�Imrane Lachheb, Hudson Arts & Science Charter School (MS)
THEMED Prepared Prompt
October Festival Theme Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
The Prepared Prompt choices included:
THEMED Prepared Prompt (HS/MS)
Gold Medal of Excellence�Peter Dulay, Samuel W. Wolfson High School (HS)
Silver Medal of Honor�Morgan Cox, Samuel W. Wolfson High School (HS)�Mosole Mogodiri, Mount Saint Dominic Academy (HS)
Honorable Mention�Chloe Rivera, Hudson Arts & Science Charter School (MS)
THEMED Original Poetry (HS/MS)
October Festival Theme Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
Students wrote and performed their own original poems� inspired by Hispanic Heritage Month.
THEMED Original Poetry (HS/MS)
Gold Medal of Excellence�Leona Schaeffer, Samuel W. Wolfson High School (HS)
Silver Medal of Honor�Elaine Yan, Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart (MS)
Honorable Mentions�Genevieve Watson, Hudson Arts & Science Charter School (MS)�Melissa Longov, Samuel W. Wolfson High School (HS)
Informative Speaking (HS/MS)
Gold Medal of Excellence�Isaac Caccam, Samuel W. Wolfson High School (HS)
Silver Medal of Honor�Anna Philips, Samuel W. Wolfson High School (HS)
Honorable Mention�Roy Beltran, Hudson Arts & Science Charter School (MS)
Pro/Con Challenge
Students chose to present both a Pro Case and a Con Case for �one of the following current NSDA Debate topics:
Policy Debate – 2025-2026 Topic�Resolved: The United States federal government should significantly increase its exploration and/or development of the Arctic.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate – 2025 September/October Topic�Resolved: In the United States criminal justice system, plea bargaining is just.
Public Forum Debate – 2025 September/October Topic�Resolved: The United Kingdom should rejoin the European Union
Pro/Con Challenge (MS)
Gold Medal of Excellence�Hannah Kahan, Hatikvah International Academy Charter School
Silver Medal of Honor�Agrata Manne, Hatikvah International Academy Charter School
Bronze Medal Finalists�Rayan Arif, Hatikvah International Academy Charter School�Chloe Szabunia, Hatikvah International Academy Charter School�Anavi Deb, Hatikvah International Academy Charter School
Children’s Literature (HS)
Gold Medal of Excellence�Kye Fernandez, Samuel W. Wolfson High School
Silver Medal of Honor�Lilah Colacurcio, Samuel W. Wolfson High School
Bronze Medal Finalists�Reagan Heller, Samuel W. Wolfson High School�Aaliyah Huber, Samuel W. Wolfson High School�Anna Philips, Samuel W. Wolfson High School�Jack Charles Glynn, Independent Entry
Individual Sweepstakes
Gold Sweepstakes Award�Anna Philips, Samuel W. Wolfson High School (HS)
Silver Sweepstakes Award�Genevieve Watson, Hudson Arts & Science Charter School (MS)
Team Sweepstakes (MS)
Gold Sweepstakes Award�Hatikvah International Academy Charter School (NJ)
Silver Sweepstakes Award�Hudson Arts & Science Charter School (NJ)
Bronze Sweepstakes Award�Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart (NJ)
Team Sweepstakes (HS)
Gold Sweepstakes Award�Samuel W. Wolfson High School (FL)
Silver Sweepstakes Award�Mount Saint Dominic Academy (NJ)
Bronze Sweepstakes Award�Hanover Park High School (NJ)
Thank You!
David Marques (North Star Academy) �NJSDL President
Saul Grullon (University High School) �NJSDL Vice-President of Speech
Jose Rivera (Newark Tech High School), �NJSDL Vice-President of Debate
Gary Yablon (Hudson Arts & Science Charter School) NJSDL Vice-President of Middle School Programming
Natasha Doski (Ridge High School)�NJSDL Secretary of Communications
Michael Sowell (Barringer High School)�NJSDL Secretary of Outreach
Adam Leonard (Hunterdon Central Regional High School) �NJSDL Treasurer
John Cierpial (Union Catholic Regional High School) �NJSDL Tournaments Director
Special thanks to those who have helped with the NJSDL Online Festival Series:
David Yastremski (Ridge High School) �NSDA New Jersey District Chair
Upcoming In-Person Events!
Phillipsburg Fall Spooktacular @ Phillipsburg High School (MS/HS) - October 25th (REGISTRATION LINK)
Randolph Fall Classic @ Randolph High School (MS/HS) - November 15th (REGISTRATION LINK)
Hilltopper Holiday Classic @ Summit High School (HS) - December 13th
Ridge Debates @ Ridge High School (HS) - December 12th & 13th (INFORMATION PAGE)
Newark Debates @ Science Park High School (HS) - January 9th & 10th (INFORMATION PAGE)
Hunterdon Central Winter Invitational @ Hunterdon Central Regional High School (HS) - January 10th
Freehold Township High School (HS) - January 17th
Ridge Invitational @ Ridge High School (MS/HS) - January 24th
NJSDL Online Speech Festival Series
The 2025-2026 NJSDL Online Speech Festival Series
January 31, 2026 - Synchronous - Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day
March 2026 - Asynchronous - Celebrating Women’s History Month
April 2026 - Asynchronous - Celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month
More Information