Noah ’23 and Henry ’23 claimed a co-championship in the novice division while Oscar ’21, Mayowa ’21, Phillip ’23, and Jessica ’23 placed in the top ranks as speakers.
By Bill Wilson, HS Debate Coach
USN had its best team performance ever at the Chattahoochee Cougar Classic in Atlanta last weekend.
In the varsity division, three USN teams reached elimination rounds, more than any other school in the competition. Oscar Fox ’21 and Mayowa Kassim ’21 finished preliminary rounds with a 5-1 record, and earned the fourth seed in the round of 16, where they did not debate because they met the 13th seed of Christopher Cheek ’21 and Luke Kim ’23, who finished 4-2 in prelims. Oscar and Mayowa lost a 2-1 decision in the quarterfinals Sunday morning to Alpharetta High School of Georgia. Wiley Barzelay ’21 and Lucas Heckers ’21 also finished 4-2, good for the 11th seed in the bracket where they lost to Alpharetta in the round of 16. Mayowa was the fourth overall speaker in varsity, and Oscar was the 12th place speaker.
In the novice division, Noah Kim ’23 and Henry Stack ’23 claimed a co-championship after finishing 4-1 in prelims and winning unanimous decisions over Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet in the round of 16 and The Galloway School of Georgia in the quarterfinal round. The teams of Ayodeji Ajayi ’23 and Sarah Kate Esquivel ’23, and Phillip Feaster ’23 and Jessica Mullenbach ’23 also finished with 4-1 records before falling in the round of 16 to Atlanta schools Woodward Academy and Pace Academy. Noah was the top speaker out of 98 competitors, while Phillip and Jessica earned the 4th and 6th place speaker awards.
Mother Nature is not cooperating for our annual Popsicle Party. Depending on which weather app you use, actual and feels-like temperatures are 98 to 101 and higher. Under these conditions, we would limit student activities, so, in the interest of everyone's health and well-being, we are going to cancel our gathering at the River Campus. There is just not enough shade and certainly no air conditioning to bring relief to hundreds of USN families. Thank you for understanding. We look forward to seeing you in a few days for the start of our new school year.
The booster club Tiger Arts Patrons contributes additional funding to visual and performing arts at University School of Nashville while providing supporters with free admission to most music, dance, and theater performances. Register for annual TAP membership here for $100.
Be sure to read the division publications on Friday, August 14 for the ticket link to a roaring show marking Theater Director Bakari King's 20th year behind the curtain at USN.
USN Mission: University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.