Communications Success Stories

DVC speech and debate team wins Northern California championship

speech and debate students standing together with their awards

For the first time in over a decade, Diablo Valley College took home the 2017 Northern California Speech and Debate championship title, beating out all two and four year schools entered in the competition. DVC forensics (speech and debate) advanced through 24 grueling speech and debate events to win the championship, as well as five individual speaking championships and multiple runner-ups and finalist awards.

DVC forensics has had a busy year participating in speech and debate events across the country. They won several additional tournaments including the Santa Rosa Junior College Invitational, University of the Pacific, the Paul Winters Invitational, and placed 3rd in the state championship, which is the highest DVC has placed in over 20 years. This year has truly been an impressive display of the talent and work ethic of these DVC students.  As a result, many of them have been recruited for transfer to a four-year institution in speech and debate competition.

The season is far from over and DVC Forensics hopes to have a few more titles under their belt before the school year ends. To sponsor the team, visit DVC Foundation and click donate now (you’ll see a designation option for speech and debate team). Join us in congratulating them on their success!

*Update: DVC Forensics took home the gold at the nationals in Washington D.C. Their overall performance made them the national champions in the Wheeler Division (medium schools) at the 2017 Phi Rho Pi National Tournament.  They also won three individual national championships and had two undefeated debaters with eight other events reaching bronze and silver elimination rounds.  

DVC’s 2017 Northern California Speech and Debate winners

Open Level Speakers

1st – Program Oral interpretation – Avangeline Balingit

1st – After Dinner Speaking – Ndea Johnson

2nd – Poetry Interpretation – Avangeline Balingit

2nd – Prose Interpretation – Jasmine Kharma

3rd – Duo Interpretation  - Bryan Zaldana and Joshua Tiquia

3rd – Poetry Interpretation – Jasmine Kharma

3rd – Persuasive Speaking – Miranda Konoplisky

Finalist – Program Oral Interpretation –Joshua Tiquia

Finalist – Persuasive Speaking – Alan Fishman

Finalist – Poetry Interpretation – Bryan Zaldana

Finalist – Program Oral Interpretation – Michelle Barbadillo

Octa-Finalist – Parliamentary Debate – Meredith Mountjoy and Alan Fishman 

Novice Speakers

1st – Prose Interpretation – Shannon Dare

1st – Dramatic Interpretation – Meredith Mountjoy

1st – Persuasive Speaking – Kellie Brinley

2nd – Program Oral Interpretation – Maureen McSweeney

2nd – Dramatic Interpretation – Adam Hartley

3rd – Program Oral Interpretation – Dominique Smith

3rd – Dramatic Interpretation – Shannon Dare

Finalist – Dramatic Interpretation – Sarah Martin

Finalist  – Dramatic Interpretation – Manuel Herrera

Finalist – Dramatic Interpretation – Daniel Cordero

Quarter-Finalist – Parliamentary Debate – Zsofia Fulop and Kelan Bomar

Diablo Valley College - 3rd Place, State Championships

Jasmine Kharma - Program Oral Interpretation - Gold Medalist (State Champion)

Jasmine Kharma - Prose Interpretation - Gold Medalist 

Meredith Mountjoy -  Parliamentary Debate - Gold Medalist

Meredith Mountjoy - Persuasive Speaking - Gold Medalist

Alan Fishman - Parliamentary Debate - Gold Medalist

Miranda Konoplisky - Parliamentary Debate - Gold Medalist

Avangeline Balingit - Parliamentary Debate - Gold Medalist 

Meredith Mountjoy - International Public Debate - Silver Medalist

Alan Fishman - International Public Debate - Silver Medalist

Shannon Dare - Dramatic Interpretation - Silver Medalist

Bryan Zaldana - Prose Interpretation - Silver Medalist

Bryan Zaldana - Poetry Interpretation - Silver Medalist

Avangeline Balingit - Program Oral Interpretation - Bronze Medalist

Avangeline Balingit - Poetry Interpretation - Bronze Medalist

Michelle Barbadillo - Program Oral Interpretation - Bronze Medalist