VHS Speech and Debate heads to nationals

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, March 18, 2026

For the first time in over twenty years, the Vashon High School (VHS) Speech and Debate Team has qualified students to compete in Main Events at the National Speech and Debate Association (formerly National Forensics League) National Tournament.

On Saturday, March 7, four members of the team competed at the Western Washington District Qualifiers Tournament hosted by Auburn Riverside High School. Junior Hannah Hillis placed third in Dramatic Interpretation and junior Iylaf Al Mustafa placed second in Informative Speaking.

Both students have been competing in these events since last fall and have qualified for the Washington State Tournament to be held at the University of Puget Sound in late March. Junior Emily Rock also had a strong showing at the Qualifiers Tournament, advancing to the semifinals round with some of the state’s top competitors, and is eligible to attend nationals as an alternate for Lincoln-Douglas Debate. Freshman Carter Harmon will also attend nationals after forfeiting his ability to qualify in Duo Interpretation with Hannah Hillis, so she could compete in her individual event instead. Harmon and Rock will be competing in Supplemental Events that are not usually found at tournaments in Washington State.

Longtime islanders will recall that VHS once boasted an active debate program under former coach Jim Dorsey. After his retirement in 2015, the program lost some momentum and finally fizzled out during the pandemic. Since coming back onto the scene in the 2024-25 school year, Vashon regularly sends competitors to all local tournaments and just as regularly brings home hardware by taking top places in their events.

This season’s funding has been provided by an Appleford Grant from Vashon Partners in Education. Junior Willa O’Reilley applied for the grant after competing last year, and the team has been able to pay for entry fees to tournaments, supplies and fees for judges.

However, the cost of attending the nationals tournament in Richmond, Virginia, is significant, and the team will be raising funds to cover the cost of airfare, hotels, transportation and food during the weeklong event in June. Community members interested in supporting the team can donate to a GoFan site or by contacting the school and donating to the team’s ASB fund.

Even though competitors are very focused on the upcoming state and nationals tournaments, signaling the end of this season, many are already preparing for next year. On Saturday, April 18, Vashon High School will host the third annual Intra-Island Invitational, open to both middle and high school students. This tournament allows students to have a competition experience without leaving the island.

The invitational offers both traditional public speaking and interpretation events, as well as novelty categories like spontaneous argumentation and storytelling, so there is something for everyone. Novice competitors will have the opportunity to simply get a feel for the activity, while experienced competitors will try out new material for next year. This event is entirely run and judged by volunteers to keep it free for all participants. Anyone interested in competing or judging at the invitational should email Jenni Wilke at jwilke@vashonsd.org.

In our small community, it is important to offer a wide variety of opportunities for our young people. Speech and debate provides a space for students who are passionate about what is happening in the world and allows them to learn how to use their voices to make a difference.

Junior Hannah Hillis said, “Speech and debate has given me an amazing community. I feel like I have learned so much from my peers and coaches this season, and I am so excited to represent Vashon at state and nationals! This activity has allowed me to develop so much in my passions and personal life, and for that, I am so grateful. I cannot wait to see how the rest of the season goes, and I am so proud of both my performance and the team’s development.”

Jenni Wilke is the coach of the speech and debate team.