State-Winners Host Showcase and Silent Auction

Continuing years of accomplishments, the FCHS Speech team is continuing a wildly successful season. Accomplishments include sending seventeen members to States, winning the state competition overall as a team, have nine students place first at States, and qualifying eight students to attend the national competition in June.

Finalists at the state competition included the following: junior Alex Pellicane (State Champion in Extemporaneous); sophomore Ally Hansen (State Champion in Dramatic Interpretation); sophomore Maddie Scopelliti (State Champion in Poetry); freshman Evie Benson (State Champion in Prose); seniors Jakob Shiflett and Justin Hamill (State Champions in Humorous Duo); senior Lily Dobrin and sophomore Hollyn Pleasants (State Champions in Serious Duo); sophomore Simon Skinner (State Champion in Storytelling); senior Trinity Haynes (second in Serious Duo); sophomore Delaney Hammond (second in Serious Duo); junior Danielle Sumner (second in Original Oratory); senior Cameron Taylor (third in Dramatic Interpretation); freshman Caroline Fields (third in Impromptu); senior Emily Sprouse (fourth in Humorous Duo); senior Tess McCormick (fourth in Humorous Duo); and senior Paul Nazari (fourth in Humorous Interpretation).

In response to the team’s massive success, Nazari said, “It was well-earned. Everyone on the team really helped out, especially with the state meet.”

In the National Qualifying Meet, all 11 Flucos that attended were finalists, and four Flucos initially qualified to attend Nationals, including Pellicane (1st place in US Extemporaneous), Skinner (2nd place in Humorous Interpretation), Hamill (2nd place in Duo), and Shiflett (2nd place in Duo. The following students also placed: Taylor (3rd place in Duo/1st Alternate as well as 4th place in Dramatic Interpretation/1st Alternate); Nazari (3rd place in Duo/1st Alternate as well as 4th place in Humorous Interpretation/1st Alternate); Sumner (4th place in Original Oratory/1st Alternate); Connor Bridge (5th place in Humorous Interpretation/2nd Alternate); Pleasants (5th place in Duo/3rd Alternate); Hammond (5th place in Duo/3rd Alternate); and Malcolm O’Malley (5th place in US Extemporaneous).

Several students who qualified for Nationals will be attending the National Speech and Debate Association tournament June 16-21 in Dallas, Texas. To raise funds to attend the competition, the team and long-time coach Craig Edgerton are sponsoring their annual Showcase and Silent Auction fundraiser on Friday, May 17, from 6-8 pm at the high school. Speech members will perform their awarding-winning presentations in between opportunitities to place bids on a wide variety of auction items.

Auction items include gifts, memberships, tickets, gift cards, discounts and more from a variety of retailers: The Little Gym; Kendra Scott jewelry; ACAC; Chick-Fil-A; Mount Vernon; Jefferson Theater; Violet Crown Theater; Reines Jewelers; Jefferson Pharmacy; Video By The Lake; Brixx Pizza; Villa Novas; Valentine Museum; Keglers Lanes; Sugar & Salt; Lake Monticello Golf; Aaron Watson Photography; Escape Room; Flying Squirrels; Charlottesville Opera; Sprint Pavilion; Crutchfield; Charlottesville Tom Sox; Monticello Mattress & More;  Barefoot Country Store; VA Discovery Museum; 9 Round; ACAC; Z95; Wine & Design and more.

Admission is free and the event will be held in the Drama Room (Room 1518) on the first floor near the bus ramp entrance of the high school. Auction members need not be present to win, and may pay by cash, check, or credit card. For more information, call the high school at 434-589-3666.