Texas Speech Communication Association Educator of the Year

Spring Woods High School debate and speech teacher Victoria Beard was named the Texas Speech Communication Association (TSCA) Educator of the Year during the association’s annual conference recently in Corpus Christi, Texas. TSCA’s annual meeting was held from Oct. 10-12.

In separate speech and debate news, Spring Woods High’s student team has qualified 13 students for state-level competition. Most recently, students won a first place sweepstakes award and four tournament champion awards. Spring Woods High is the first high school in the district to qualify students for state competition in SBISD, organizers report.

Victoria Beard directs the forensics, or debate and speech program, at Spring Woods High. She is the communications applications teacher and UIL academic coordinator at the school. She is also one of four currently serving Spring Branch ISD Teacher of the Year finalists.

The TSCA Educator of the Year nomination process included letters of support from colleagues, administrators and former students. TSCA candidates submitted teaching philosophy statements and curriculum vitas that highlighted their roles in speech communication leadership at the local, state and national levels.

“The Educator of the Year Award is quite an honor. This is a competitive, year-long procedure that involves a selection committee of communication educators from both secondary and post-secondary levels,” TSCA President Russell Kirkscey said.

The Texas Speech Communication Association is the largest state professional communication association in the nation with several hundred members ranging from middle school educators to university professors. The group’s annual conference provides sessions for professional development and networking.

The TSCA serves as the umbrella organization for the Texas Forensic Association, the Texas Association of Communication Administrators, the Texas Interscholastic Forensic Association, the University Interscholastic League, and the Texas Community College Forensic Association. On Oct. 5, Spring Woods High won a first place sweepstakes award at the Dobie High School Speech/Debate Tournament.

Among more than 30 high schools, Spring Woods High had four students named tournament champions, with two students named state qualifiers. In all, the high school team team now includes 13 state qualifiers.

Results from the Dobie High tournament:

• In Dramatic Interpretations, Christopher Rice placed 1st and Karesha Bell placed 2nd
• In Novice Dramatic Interpretation, Julia Allison placed 1st
• In Humorous Interpretation, Bram Sebio-Brundage was 2nd and Alejandra Aguilar 6th
• In Prose, Bram Sebio-Brundage placed 2nd and Alejandra Aguilar placed 6th
• In Novice Prose, Valeria Reyna placed 6th and Katie Koslan placed 7th
• In Poetry, Karesha Bell placed 2nd and Christopher Rice placed 4th
• In Foreign Extemporaneous Speaking, Christine Vo placed 2nd
• In Novice Extemporaneous Speaking, Jeremiah Menslage was 1st and Alberto Ortiz 2nd
• In Congressional Debate, Christine Vo was 2nd and has now qualified for state; Alberto Ortiz placed 7th; Katie Koslan placed 9th
• In Original Oratory, Angel Ramirez placed 2nd and Bharti Sharma placed 4th
• In Duet Acting, Valentina Rombado/Angel Ramirez placed 2nd
• In Duo Interpretation: Carlos Diaz/Enrique Urdiales placed 2nd and qualified for state; Christopher Rice/Valentina Rombado placed 3rd

During a Sept. 28 competition comprised of two full tournaments at the CyWoods/CyFair Swing Speech/Debate Tournament, Spring Woods students won five sweepstakes awards. They include: 1st place at CyWoods; 1st place at CyFair; 1st place overall for both tournaments, and the students were also named Top Individual Squad and Top Debate Squad.

CyWoods Tourney results include the following:

• In Original Oratory, Angel Ramirez placed 8th
• In Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking, Christian Rice placed 5th and qualified for state
• In Foreign Extemporaneous Speaking, Max Rombado placed 4th and qualified for state, and Christine Vo placed 8th
• In Dramatic Interpretation, Nicole Jackson placed 3rd and has qualified for state
• In Duo Interpretation, Christopher Rice/Valentina Rombado both placed 6th and have qualified for state; Nicole Jackson/Karesha Bell placed 4; and Enrique Urdiales/Carlos Diaz placed 3rd
• In Humorous Interpretation, Angel Ramirez placed 5th
• In Novice Dramatic Interpretation, Julia Allison placed 6th
• In Novice Prose, Valerie Reyna placed 5th
• In Prose, Bram Sebio-Brundagte placed 4th and Courtney Thompson placed 8th
• In Poetry, Nicole Jackson placed 6th
• In Novice Congressional Debate, Jeremiah Menslage was 1st and Katie Koslan placed 2nd
• In Varsity Congressional Debate, Christian Rice placed 2nd and qualified for state; Travis Boyd placed 3rd; Maria Palomares placed 5th and qualified for state; Max Rombado placed 8th; and Christine Vo placed 9th

CyFair Tournament results include the following:

• In Poetry, Karesha Bell placed 5th
• In Novice Extemporaneous Speaking, Jeremiah Menslage placed 6th
• In Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking, Avery Reinhart placed 8th and qualified for state and is invited to compete at the Tournament of Champions Round Robin
• In Novice Prose, Katie Koslan placed 4th and Valerie Reyna placed 6th
• In Novice Dramatic Interpretation, Dania Reams placed 5th and Julia Allison placed 6th
• In Duo Interpretation, Nicole Jackson/Karesha Bell placed 2nd; Courtney Thompson/Josselyn Gomez placed 4th
• In Duet Acting, Karina Mestizo/Stormy Torres placed 5th
• In Humorous Interpretation, Angel Ramirez placed 5th
• In Congressional Debate, Christian Rice placed 1st; Max Rombado placed 3rd; Avery Reinhart placed 5th and has qualified for state; Maria Palomares placed 7th; Travis Boyd placed 10th; and Gilbert Fernandez placed 11th