Junior, Aaron Miller, from Great Bend competed at the National Speech and Debate Tournament. The national tournament was held this year June 11 through June 18, at Salt Lake City, Utah. Every year there are approximately 1 million NSDA members and only 5,000 students qualify to the national tournament. It was an honor that Aaron was selected and qualified to compete in the tournament.
Coach Barbara Watson said, “Aaron Miller worked very hard preparing for the tournament and practiced every day for two hours 2 weeks before the tournament. Many people from the community also watched and critiqued him before the tournament. His performances were flawless and without stumbles at nationals. He received several 1st places from some judges, but some 6th places from some judges in the same rooms which shows how competitive the rounds were and how it came down to judges preference.” Aaron did not advance to the elimination rounds with his original oration, but he did advance to the elimination rounds in all three of his supplemental and consolation events of Expository Speaking, Prose Interpretation, and Impromptu Speaking and he was in the top half of all three of those events. There were over 500 students competing in Impromptu Speaking and he was in the top 200 in that event. “Aaron did his very best and I was very proud of him,” said Watson. Miller said “Being able to compete in the national tournament was one of the best experiences. Seeing some of the best Orations in the nation was very exciting.”