In the Practice House, Ethan Bajwa, Roshni Bhavsar, Grant Ergun, Cody Gresham, Connor McDonald, and Kaden Wright all advanced to the final round. This is an impressive showing of depth and preparation. Leading the way, Ethan Bajwa captured first place in the Practice House, demonstrating the skill, confidence, and critical thinking that define Liberty excellence.
In the highly competitive Qualifier House, Robert Clegg and Aubree Gearhart proudly represented Liberty. Robert made history by bringing home Liberty’s first Valley Championship since the program’s return earlier this year. With his championship finish, Robert has earned the honor of representing Liberty High School at the California High School Speech Association’s State Championship Tournament, April 17–19 at James Logan High School in Union City.
This achievement marks a remarkable beginning for a program that was only recently reestablished. To see our students competing and winning at such a high level speaks to their dedication, work ethic, and passion for civic engagement and public speaking.
As the state qualifiers conclude, Patriot Speech & Debate now turns its focus to the National Qualifier Tournaments, beginning March 7 at West High School, followed by competitions at Bullard High School and Clovis North later this month. The National Speech & Debate Tournament will be held June 14 - 19 in Richmond, Virginia, and our Patriots are eager to continue building momentum.
The team is led by legendary Speech & Debate coach David Ziegler, whose leadership and expertise have helped lay a strong foundation for this new era of Patriot Speech & Debate.
Congratulations to Robert, Ethan, and the entire team for representing Liberty with excellence. The future of Speech & Debate at Liberty is bright and it’s only just begun.