NATIONAL SPEECH & DEBATE

ASSOCIATION

News release

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA — The National Speech & Debate Association is proud to announce that Grace Sheene, a recent Danville High School graduate; and Charlie Hall, a rising junior at DHS, advanced beyond preliminary rounds to the national awards rounds at the National Speech & Debate Tournament, the largest academic competition in the world. 

Sheene (dramatic interpretation) and Hall (oratory) advanced through six preliminary rounds, the National Octofinals, and the National Quarterfinals (featuring the top 30 performers in the country), before being eliminated from the competition.  Additionally, in the supplemental events for students eliminated prior to the final rounds, Hall advanced to the Quarterfinal rounds (top 24) in Storytelling.

“The National Tournament showcases the brightest and most talented students in the country,” said J. Scott Wunn, Executive Director of the National Speech & Debate Association.

More than 4,000 students representing more than 1,200 schools competed at the National Speech & Debate Tournament held in Birmingham June 17-24. These students represented more than 150,000 who competed in 106 district competitions from Maine to Guam in March and April for the right to represent their districts at the Nationals.  

For more information, visit www.speechanddebate.org.

From left, Danville High School’s delegation to the Natioanl Speech and Debate tournament, Matthew Ballard, Charlie Hall, Abigail Anderson and Grace Sheene.