Armstrong, Cooper Students Qualify for National Speech and Debate Tournament

***Information provided by Robbinsdale Area Schools.

Five is the number of the day, at least so far, for the Robbinsdale Debate team, as that’s the number the team is sending to the National Speech and Debate Tournament after two more students qualified to represent Minnesota in the national tournament.

Competing at the 2013 National Qualifying Tournament at Minneapolis Community and Technical College on February 22, Armstrong junior Andrew Urevig and Cooper junior Olivia Heusinkveld both qualified to the 2013 National Debate Tournament in Congressional Debate.  Andrew finished in second place, which qualified him.  Previously, he won the championship at the 2013 Minnesota State Debate Tournament.  Olivia finished the National Qualifying Tournament as the only student with perfect marks and three ranks of first place.

Andrew and Olivia will join their teammates  Celisia Stanton from Cooper High School, and Tanner Berris and Claire Peavey from Armstrong High School, who have already qualified to the national tournament, which will be held in June in Birmingham, Alabama.