On Feb. 8-10, the Gabrielino Screamin’ Eagles Speech and Debate Team competed at the 39th Annual Stanford Invitational, going against teams across the United States. Despite the tournament being online, the team spent day one of the competition together at Gabrielino High School.
“I wanted to give the kids a fun opportunity to be together, it’s not mandatory but you’ll notice everyone who competed, came in, so it must be something they look forward to–eating together, hanging out, and watching each other perform,” Coach Derek Yuill commented.
Team captain Veena Sundaramoorthy, competing in Humor and Program Oral Interpretation, also emphasized the value of being surrounded by teammates.
“The energy from other people in the room gets me through the day,” Sundaramoorthy explained.“Everyone here you can tell really wants to be here and get that extra tournament in, so it’s a really fun group to hang out with,” Sundaramoothy noted.
The Stanford Invitational’s virtual format forced competitors to adapt to various hurdles including unreliable internet connections and the limitations of a digital stage.
“Sometimes, because of the internet, our audio will cut out or our video will freeze without us realizing… which is really awkward when you’re performing,” Senior Marco Cisneros-Farber explained.
Cisneros-Farber competed in both International Extemp and National Extemp.
Many competitors like, junior Tim Li, had to find clever ways to make the most of the online format.
“I ask if the judges can see me at different angles and then I try to utilize how far I am from the camera. I’ll try to make it more engaging by getting really close up to the camera–just try to utilize all the space I have.”
Li advanced into the final round, placing 5th overall in Humor.
For many, the invitational served as a crucial testing ground before the upcoming state qualifiers.
“Specifically for this invitational, it was to prepare for State Quals to make sure that we have everything down,” said Junior Jaslin Situ.
Situ competed alongside fellow junior Zachary Tang in Duo Interpretation, delivering a dramatic piece on generational trauma.
“We were able to see what we wanted to keep and change in our script so it was like a test run for us,” Tang echoed.
Tang and Situ qualified for the Duo Interpretation final round and won 1st place overall.
Despite these challenges, the team found camaraderie and support. Koby Khuu, a freshman competing in Lincoln Douglas Debate, appreciated the opportunity to connect with friends.
“Since I did it here at Gabrielino, I could connect with my friends in between rounds–I would do it again and recommend it to others because it lets you get your reps in and practice,” Khuu explained, “just like in every sport, you practice, train, and get better.”
The team had impressive performances with 13 finalists, solidifying their preparation for the upcoming state qualifying tournament at Schurr High School on Feb. 22.
Notable placings include:
- 1st Place Declamation Ximena Mercado
- 5th Place Original Oratory Kara Mak
- 4th Place Humor Andrew Lai
- 6th Place Dramatic Interpretation Archie Lai
- 2nd Place Novice Dramatic Interpretation Sophia Sanchez
- 2nd Place Program Oral Interpretation Chenlu Yang
- 3rd Place Program Oral Interpretation & 5th Place Novice Dramatic Interpretation Cali Sadsad
- 5th Place Program Oral Interpretation Josephine Scannell
- 5th Place National Extemp Isaac Chan
- 3rd Place Novice National Extemp Evangeline Chen
- 6th Place Novice National Extemp Bling Bling Lau
