The National Speech & Debate Association Announces 2020 National High School Champions

DES MOINES, Iowa, June 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) is proud to announce the 2020 National Speech & Debate Tournament champions. Following a week of intense competition between 6,659 students from 1,420 schools, 29 high school students were declared winners at the online National Tournament.

Find the full list of champions here.

At the 2020 National Tournament, students debated tough topics like, "The intergenerational accumulation of wealth is antithetical to democracy," and answered hard questions like, "What will the world look like if a COVID-19 vaccine cannot be deployed in 2021?" and "What will happen to the Bernie Sanders movement in 2021 and beyond?" Other championship performances focused on critical issues like racism, dress codes, homophobic stereotypes, and more.

"The messages shared by the 2020 National Tournament champions were brilliant, passionate, and necessary for all to hear," said J. Scott Wunn, Executive Director of the National Speech & Debate Association. "During a pandemic, these students adapted to virtual competition to make sure their voices were heard and their words matter. We're extremely proud of them and look forward to more great achievements in the future."

Actor Josh Gad, known for roles in Frozen, The Book of Mormon, and Beauty and the Beast, was also presented with the 2020 Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award.

"The reason that I am who I am, the reason I have done the things that I've done is so very much because of speech and debate," said Gad, a three time National Champion. "All of those moments from high school remain to me as prized and as memorable and as wonderful as performing in Frozen, Beauty and the Beast, or The Book of Mormon. These things are each milestones in a career that was paved on the road of speech and debate."

Download photos and videos from the National Tournament here.

About the National Speech & Debate Association
The National Speech & Debate Association is the authority on public speaking and debate in the United States. The Association builds the infrastructure for speech and debate competitions around the world by providing topics, educational resources, and training for students and coaches. For nearly 100 years, the National Speech & Debate Association has built a platform for youth voices that culminates in the National Tournament, the largest academic competition in the world. For more information, visit www.speechanddebate.org.  

SOURCE National Speech & Debate Association

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