Durham Academy Speech & Debate Results

Oct. 31–Nov. 2, 2025 — Gainesville, Florida

• Ronan Hechema & Reiner Bass (’27) were Quarterfinalists (Top 8) in Public Forum Debate

• Gabriel Whangbo-Olvera (’27) was a Double-Octafinalist (Top 32) in Lincoln-Douglas Debate

• Meena Surakanti (’27) was a Semifinalist in Original Oratory

• Kai Forbach (’26) was a Semifinalist in Impromptu Speaking

• Kai Forbach was a Quarterfinalist in Extemporaneous Speaking

• Kai Forbach was a Participant in Extemporaneous Speaking at the Round Robin Invitational

Nov. 1, 2025 — Apex

• Weihang Xu (’28) was 6th Place in Congressional Debate

• Andrew Ye (’26) was the Champion in Congressional Debate

• Ezra Greene (’29) was 5th Place in Novice Lincoln-Douglas Debate

• Scarlett Gao & Mateo Estigarribia (’27) were 6th Place in Varsity Public Forum Debate

• Neil Swaminathan (’27) & Justin Spitzer (’26) were Champions in Varsity Public Forum Debate

• David Schaefer (28) was 6th Place in Declamation

• Aanya Bailey (’28) was 5th Place in Extemporaneous Speaking

• Lingaa Venkataraja (’28) was 4th Place in Extemporaneous Speaking

• Rohan Jensen (’28) was 3rd Place in Extemporaneous Speaking

• Shriya Dharmapurikar (’26) was 2nd Place in Extemporaneous Speaking

• Rohan Jensen (’28) was 10th Place in Impromptu Speaking

• Amanitore Truitt (’27) was 8th Place in Impromptu Speaking

• Aanya Bailey (’28) was 6th Place in Impromptu Speaking

• Avery Foster (’27) was 4th Place in Impromptu Speaking

• Shriya Dharmapurikar (’26) was the Champion in Impromptu Speaking

• Avery Foster (’27) was 6th Place in Informative Speaking

• Clare Liu (’28) was the Champion in Informative Speaking

• Adaora Spector (’29) was 4th Place in Novice Impromptu Speaking

• Lulu Mungai (’29) was the Runner-Up in Novice Original Oratory

• Ausley Harward (’29) was the Champion in Novice Original Oratory

• Durham Academy was the Runner-Up in Overall Sweepstakes

Oct. 24–25, 2025 — Charlotte

• Sam Pagden (’28) was 6th Place in Impromptu Speaking

• Kabir Desai (’29) & Beck Rudolph (’29) were Octofinalists in Novice Public Forum

• Weihang Xu (’28) was 5th Place in Varsity Congressional Debate

• Ethan Asnani (’27) was 5th Place in Humorous Interpretation

• Meena Surakanti (’27) was 3rd Place in Original Oratory

• Reiner Bass (’27) & Ronan Hechema (’27) were Quarterfinalists in Varsity Public Forum Debate

• Ian Schultz ('27) & Adam Tsui ('28) were Octofinalists in Varsity Public Forum

• Ates Erden (’27) & Justin Spitzer (’26) were Quarterfinalists in Varsity Public Forum Debate

• Sam Pagden (’28) was 5th Place in Informative Speaking

Oct. 17–19, 2025 — New York, New York

• Ethan Asnani (’27) was a Semifinalist in Humorous Interpretation
• Kai Forbach (’26) was a Semifinalist in Extemporaneous Speaking
• Andrew Ye (’26) was a Semifinalist in Congressional Debate
• Sam Pagden (’28) was the Champion in Informative Speaking

Oct. 4, 2025 — Fayetteville

• Sreshta Chalicham (’28) was 4th Place in Varsity Congressional Debate
• Henry Roberts (’28) was a finalist in Varsity Congressional Debate
• Weihang Xu (’28) was a finalist in Varsity Congressional Debate
• Ezra Greene (’29) was 3rd Place in Novice Lincoln Douglas Debate
• Gabriel Whangbo-Olvera (’27) was 5th Place in Varsity Lincoln Douglas Debate
• Reiner Bass (’27) & Ronan Hechema (’27) were 2nd Place in Varsity Public Forum Debate
• Justin Spitzer (’26) & Neil Swaminathan (’27) were 3rd Place in Varsity Public Forum Debate
• Adam Tsui (’27) & Ian Schulz (’27) were 4th Place in Varsity Public Forum Debate
• Emily Chui (’27) & Scarlett Gao (’27) were 5th Place in in Varsity Public Forum Debate
• Ates Erden (’27) & Charles Knowles (’27) were an Honorable Mention in Varsity Public Forum Debate
• Birdie Blitz (’29) was the Top Novice in Declamation
• Shriya Dharmapurikar (’26) was the Champion in Extemporaneous Speaking
• Kai Forbach (’26) was the Runner Up in Extemporaneous Speaking
• Aanya Bailey (’28) was a Finalist in Extemporaneous Speaking
• Lingaa Venkataraja (’28) was a Finalist in Extemporaneous Speaking
• Sam Pagden (’28) was 3rd Place in Impromptu Speaking
• Kai Forbach (’26) was a Finalist in Impromptu Speaking
• Sam Pagden (’28) was 3rd Place in Informative Speaking
• Clare Liu (’28) was the Runner Up in Informative Speaking
• Jade Zhang (’29) was the Top Novice in Informative Speaking

• Adaora Spector (’29) was the Champion in Novice Impromptu Speaking

Sept. 27, 2025 — Southern Pines

• Andrew Ye (’26) was the Champion of Congressional Debate
• Lance Hackman & Nathaniel Wilber (’26) were 5th Place in Varsity Public Forum Debate
• Ates Erden & Charles Knowles (’27) were 3rd Place in Varsity Public Forum Debate
• Ethan Asnani (’27) was 3rd Place in Dramatic Performance
• Shriya Dharmapurikar (’26) was the Runner-Up in Extemporaneous Speaking
• Kai Forbach (’26) was the Champion in Extemporaneous Speaking
• Shriya Dharmapurikar (’26) was 3rd Place in Impromptu Speaking
• Kai Forbach (’26) was the Runner-Up in Impromptu Speaking
• Clare Liu (‘28) was the Runner-Up in Informative Speaking
• Sam Pagden (’28) was the Champion of Informative Speaking
• Ausley Harward (’29) was the Champion of Novice Original Oratory
• Meena Surakanti (’27) was 3rd Place in Original Oratory
• Durham Academy was the Runner-Up of Overall Sweepstakes

Sept. 19–22, 2025 — Long Beach, California

• Ates Erden (’27) & Justin Spitzer (’26) were Triple-Octafinalists (Top 64) in Public Forum Debate
• Reiner Bass & Ronan Hechema (’27) were Double-Octafinalists (Top 32) in Public Forum Debate
• Gabriel Whangbo-Olvera (’26) was a Double-Octafinalist (Top 32) in Lincoln-Douglas Debate 

Sept. 12–14, 2025 — Dallas, Texas

• Kai Forbach (’26) was the Runner-Up in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking
• Gabriel Whangbo-Olvera (’26) was a Double-Octafinalist (Top 32) in Lincoln-Douglas Debate

Sept. 6–8,  2025 — Lexington, Kentucky

• Amanitore Truitt (’27) was 5th Place in Dramatic Interpretation

• Kai Forbach (’26) was a Quarterfinalist in Extemporaneous Speaking

• Ethan Asnani (’27) was 3rd Place in Humorous Interpretation

• Kai Forbach (’26) was 3rd Place in Impromptu Speaking

• Sam Pagden (’27) was 4th Place in Informative Speaking

• Meena Surakanti (’27) was a Semifinalist in Original Oratory