8 FCAHS Students Qualify for State Speech & Debate Tournament

Fourteen Fox Chapel Area High School students placed in the Pennsylvania High School Speech League (PHSSL) District 16 state championship qualifying tournament. First-place awards went to the team of sophomores Paulomi Goel and Ottilie Happold in Duo Interpretation, to the Public Forum Debate team of juniors Aiden Drucker and Noelle Fouron, and to senior Priscila Hayetian in Oral Interpretation. A second-place award went to senior Anya Butler in Oral Interpretation. The Parliamentary Debate team of seniors Maya Agarwal and Prachi Behal placed in enough tournaments throughout the year to qualify for the state event. All eight of these students have earned invitations to compete in the PHSSL State Championship Tournament on March 20 and 21, 2026, at Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania – Bloomsburg.

Eight Fox Chapel Area High School students placed at the state qualifying tournament and will serve as alternates for the state competition. Senior Sabina Mantella won third place in Student Congress, the Public Forum Debate team of juniors Elaine Huang and David Zakrocki won third place, the Parliamentary Debate team of seniors Steven Li and Ryan Wang won fourth place, freshman Thomas Pohl won fourth place in Lincoln Douglas Debate, freshman Zebo Sarkarov won fourth place in Commentary, and freshman Leah Sparks won fifth place in Poetry.

The state qualifying tournament hosted 247 students representing 24 high schools from across Western Pennsylvania. Students then competed against others from their own district. The tournament was held at Moon Area High School on February 28.