EBy Rory Mahon ’18

Each year, Chaminade’s Speech and Debate Team hosts its prestigious Chaminade Invitational, where countless schools compete in various events to earn top honors. This year, Chaminade debaters spent numerous hours preparing for the competition on January 9, 2016. However, not all students competed; those who did not compete graciously donated their time to help facilitate the tournament.  From timekeeping to running ballots to even selling food, these students ensured the day ran smoothly.  At the end of the long day, the tabroom officials counted the ballots, and the competitors shuffled into Darby Auditorium to learn the results.

John Kieran Larkin ’16, one of Chaminade’s competitors, stated, “It’s great to see the whole team come together to host something as large as the Chaminade Invitational.  Not only did our competing students perform beautifully, but our workers allowed the tournament to run as smoothly as it possibly could. It’s times like this where we truly see our team shine.”

Many Chaminade students placed as finalists, and some advanced even further.  Robert Wines ’16, Christian Gagnon ’16, Daniel LaRose ’16, and Andrew Hertlein ’16 performed exceptionally, earning themselves finalist positions in Student Congress.  Additionally, John Kieran Larkin ’16 finished second in Varsity Oral Interpretation.  Peter Charalambous ’16 was a finalist in Varsity Extemporaneous Speaking, while Aidan Fitzgerald ’18 earned a spot in finals in Junior Varsity Extemporaneous Speaking.  Finally, John Michael Magloire ’18 closed out Junior Varsity Extemporaneous Speaking, taking home first place.

After he won, John Michael said, “The Chaminade Invitational was a great experience, to say the least. As a whole, the team did very well with several speakers from Chaminade making it to finals. It was a great feeling to win Junior Varsity Extemp, especially since I did it right here at Chaminade.”

The participants held their heads high knowing that their performances held up their school’s reputation. As the year winds to a close, the Flyers hope to continue their success. We wish them the best of luck.