February 13, 2020

The Dripping Springs High School Speech and Debate Team has an unprecedented 15 students who have qualified to compete at the Texas Forensic Association State Tournament in El Paso March 5-7, 2020. Students earn points toward qualification at TFA-sanctioned invitational tournaments throughout the year. In order to earn points, students have to place among the top students at each tournament. Twelve points must be accumulated to qualify for the state competition.

DSHS students who have qualified for the TFA state tournament, along with their event, are:
Eli Craddock, Humorous Interpretation
Amanda Davis, World Schools Debate
Patrick Englehart, Public Forum Debate and Foreign Extemporaneous Speaking
Lizzie Galassini, Congressional Debate
Chris Gearing, Policy Debate
Daniel Hearne, World Schools Debate
Jackson Kaiser, Public Forum Debate and Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking
Lily Claire Kroll, Congressional Debate
Campbell Melton, Congressional Debate and Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking
Chase Menjivar, World Schools Debate
John Mihaly, Lincoln-Douglas Debate
Katherine Mihaly, Policy Debate
Tirth Patel, Public Forum Debate
Disha Vazir, Public Forum Debate
Riley Wheaton, Original Oratory

In addition to the TFA State Tournament, speech and debate team members have opportunities to qualify for various events of UIL competition. At TFA tournaments, schools of all sizes including private schools compete against each other; at UIL meets, DSHS is matched against other 5A schools only.