Throughout the schoolyear, Bristow Public School students of Jessica Frizzell’s speech and debate program learn new skills and develop existing ones in preparation for numerous competitions. Most of the events they attend are qualifying competitions to advance to district and regional competitions. If students then place high enough during those events, they advance to national and state competitions. Last Friday and Saturday, students competed at regionals, their statequalifying competition with students having competed at district two weeks prior.
As Ms. Frizzell explained, Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association, OSSAA, runs qualifying tournaments, regionals, and state competitions. Her students competed in seven regionalqualifying tournaments throughout the year. Those students who placed high enough at regionals will compete at state, OSSAA’s final competitive tier. Last weekend, Bristow’s regional, the Southeast Regional, was held at Seminole State College and Seminole High School.
At the Southeast Regional, Bristow competed as one of thirteen 3A and 4A schools, each hoping to make state. Ms. Frizzell took twenty students, who competed with thirty-two pieces across nine events in the 4A bracket. Of those twenty students, nine qualified for state with fourteen pieces in eight events. Ms. Frizzell excitedly announced that Bristow received Class 4A Second Place and 4A Sweeps overall, leaving the event with four regional champions as well.
The following Bristow students competed at the Southeast Regional with those placing advancing to state: in “Dramatic Duet” Talon Wilbourn with Leigha VanOrsdol and MaKaylie Guynn with Beverly Hughes; in “Dramatic Interpretation” Eva Roberts—Regional Champion, Taylor Webb—2nd place, Asher Smith, MaKaylie Guynn, and Ellie Waller; in “Foreign Extemporaneous Speaking” Talon Wilbourn— 4th place; in “Humorous Duet” Taylor Webb with Gary Daughtry—Regional Champions and M. Corshia with Kinley Hilburn; in “Humorous Interpretation” Taylor Webb— 4th place, Gary Daughtry—7th place, Isaiah Wilson—2nd alternate, and Kara Lee; in “Lincoln Douglas Debate” Divinety Johnson—2nd place and Amy Welch—4th place; in “Monologue” Gary Daughtry—Regional Champion, Leigha VanOrsdol—3rd place, Zoey Snelling—6th place, Eva Roberts—1st alternate, Brooklyn Evans—2nd alternate, Maggie Gower, Kara Lee, and MaKaylie Guynn; in “Poetry” Leigha VanOrsdol—Regional Champion, Amelie Allison— 1st alternate, and Asher Smith; and in “Prose” Amy Welch— 2nd place, Ellie Waller—4th place, Calleigh Henderson— 2nd alternate, Maggie Gower, and Kara Lee.
Two weeks prior to OSSAA’s regionals competitions, Ms. Frizzell’s students competed at their district competition. Unlike OSSAA events, district and national competitions are run by the National Speech and Debate Association. To qualify for district, competitors must have accrued a minimum of twenty-five points by competing and placing in various events and tournaments throughout the schoolyear. Ms. Frizzell noted that district competitions are “highly competitive,” where students compete against other students from schools across all classifications, including those from up to 6A schools for three full days.
This year, The University of Tulsa hosted the Northeast District competition. Twentyfive schools with 207 students competed in eleven events at the Northeast District. Bristow took seven students, with four making it to finals and three qualifying for nationals. Two students walked away as district champions. In a final, onlineonly, last chance competition, the fourth student who made finals will compete against students from around the country next month in hopes of qualifying for nationals. Nationals will take place in June, in Phoenix, Arizona.
The following Bristow students competed at the Northeast District with those placing in the top three advancing to nationals: in “Lincoln Douglas Debate” Divinety Johnson and Amy Welch; in “International Extemporaneous Speaking” Talon Wilbourn; in “Humorous Interpretation” Gary Daughtry and Taylor Webb; in “Program Oral Interpretation” Leigha VanOrsdol—she will compete again in April; in “Duo Interpretation” Gary Daughtry and Taylor Webb— District Champions; and in “Dramatic Interpretation” Wake Tidwell—2nd place.
Community members may email Ms. Frizzell at jfrizzell@bristow.k12.ok.us for more information about Bristow’s speech and debate program and how to further support students and attend competitions. Congratulations to Ms. Frizzell’s students for their hard work and dedication!