February 21, 2025

The Plano West Senior High School Speech and Debate team competed this past weekend at the prestigious Harvard University High School Speech and Debate Tournament. The tournament featured 526 schools from 42 states and over 4,000 entries in the various events. 

Image of Plano West Speech & Debate students with trophies.

Competing against 347 entries from 24 different states, the Public Forum Debate Team of Aayush Appan and Yang Bai captured First Place overall as the Harvard Tournament Champions! Anuj Lohtia was the top speaker in that division (First Place), Arrman Kapoor was the Third Place overall speaker. Aayush and Yang were 16th and 17th, respectively. 

Three Plano West students advanced to the Finals.

Kate Liu finished second in Impromptu Speaking competing against 134 other students.

Image of Teacher Reginald Chapman and student Katie Liu with her trophy.

Additional quarterfinalists and octafinalists include: 

Tara Erry, Quarterfinals, Congressional Debate
Giovanni Munthali, Octofinals, Dramatic Interp
Catherine Cockrell, Octofinals, Dramatic Interp
Catherine Cockrell & Sasha Morel, Duo Interp
Rehan Buvvaji, Quarterfinals, Extemporaneous Speaking
Katherine Liu, Quarterfinals, Extemporaneous Speaking
Roshan Shivnani, Quarterfinals, Extemporaneous Speaking
Sasha Morel, Octofinals, Extemporaneous Speaking
Nicole Lee, Octofinals, Program Oral Interp
Angel Ribo, Double Octofinals, Lincoln Douglas Debate
Anuj Lohtia & Arrman Kapoor, Octofinals, Public Forum Debate

Congratulations to our Wolfpack Speech & Debate students on their Harvard hardware! 

Image of Plano West Speech & Debate Team with their trophy.