Alaska News & Updates
High School
National & International Recognition
A number of Alaskans have excelled on the national and international stages. This section celebrates their achievements.
All Americans
Terek Rutherford, South Anchorage, All American 2015 (#22 of 25)
More than 150,000 students compete in speech & debate every year. Of those, the top 25 students in the nation are named All Americans by the National Speech & Debate Association.
NSDA National Championship
”On the Stage”
Terek Rutherford, 12th Speaker in Policy Debate, 2015 (South Anchorage)
Terek Rutherford, 4-time NSDA National Qualifier, 2015 (South Anchorage)
JC Giron & Cara Ekstrom, 9th Place in Public Forum, 2005 (Whitestone)
John Porter & Chris Greenleaf, 14th Place in Duo Interp, date unknown ~1998 (Whitestone)
Roughly 150,000 students compete in speech & debate annually. Approximately 6,000 of those students earn the right to compete at the National Speech & Debate Association’s National Championship Tournament. Of those, about 1/4 advance to elimination rounds. After five days of intense competition, the top 14 competitors in each event earn the right to “walk the stage,” placing them in the top half of one percent of competitors in the nation.
NSDA National Championship
Elimination Round Appearances
Ronan Hinman, Round 4 (top 128 of 434) in Prose, 2025 (Kodiak)
Jamison Dunn, Round 8 (top 66 of 980) in Extemporaneous Debate, 2024 (Sitka)
Felix Myers, Round 6 (top 191 of 980) in Extemporaneous Debate, 2024 (Sitka)
Isabelle Schmetzer & Francis Myers, Round 9 (43rd of 279) in Public Forum, 2023 (Sitka)
Felix Myers, Round 5 (top 206) in Extemporaneous Debate, 2023 (Sitka)
Lawrence Dunn, Round 8 (top 82) in Lincoln Douglas Debate, 2020 (Homer)
Sadie Murphy & Danny Brady, Round 8 (top 59) in Duo Interp, 2019 (Skagway)
Garrett Rutherford, Round 4 (top 20) in Storytelling, 2016 (South Anchorage)
Garrett Rutherford, Round 6 (top 55) in Prose, 2015 (South Anchorage)
Eric Eads, Roud 10 (17th Place) in Dramatic Interp, 2013 (Whitestone)
Dylan Hardenbergh, Round 7 (top 72) in Extemporaneous Debate, 2012 (South Anchorage)
Austin Heyroth, Semifinalist in Congressional Debate, 2011 (South Anchorage)
Max Silverman & David Spyke, Round 9 (top 60) in Public Forum, 2010 (West Anchorage)
Evan Eads, Round 10 (15th Place) in Dramatic Interp, 2004 (Whitestone)
Daniel Porter, Round 8 in Humorous Interp, 2002 (Whitestone)
Christoph Greenleaf & John Porter, Round 10 (top 30) in Duo Interp, 2001 (Whitestone)
Matthew Moon, Round 8 in Original Oratory, 2001 (Dimond)
Lisa Stendal, Round 10 (top 30) in Dramatic Interp, 2000 (Whitestone)
John Greenleaf & Lisa Stendal, Round 8 (top 58) in Duo Interp, 1999 (Whitestone)
Nathaniel DiGloria, Round 8 (top 57) in Dramatic Interp, 1999 (Whitestone)
Bradley Schoenleben, Round 7 in Prose, 1999 (West Anchorage)
Aaron Swenson, Round 8 in Humorous Interp, 1996 (Robert Service)
Aaron Swenson, Round 8 in Prose, 1996 (Robert Service)
Roughly 150,000 students compete in speech & debate annually. Approximately 7,000 of those students earn the right to compete at the National Speech & Debate Association’s National Championship Tournament. Of those, about 1/4 advance to elimination rounds. These are Alaskans who advanced to elimination rounds, but did not get to “walk the stage.”
NCFL Grand National Tournament
Award Winners
Terek Rutherford & Skyler Hektner, Quarterfinalists in Policy Debate (4th place), 2015 (South Anchorage)
Roughly 150,000 students compete in speech & debate annually. Approximately 2,000 of those students earn the right to compete at the National Catholic Forensic League Grand National Tournament.
Tournament of Champions
Award Winners
Austin Heyroth, Semifinalist in Congressional Debate, 2011 (South Anchorage)
The University of Kentucky’s Tournament of Champions hosts the elite of the elite in the four major debate formats: Policy Debate, Lincoln Douglas Debate, Congressional Debate, and Public Forum. Students earn “qualifying legs” by advancing to elimination rounds at some of the most prestigious tournaments in the country. It is quite a feat just to qualify for the TOC, let alone advance to elimination rounds.
Academic All Americans
Wayne Barnum (Chugiak, AY24/25)
Callia Fielding (Skagway, AY21/22)
Katherine Brown (South Anchorage, AY18/19)
Krista Stapleford (South Anchorage, AY15/16)
David Courtright (South Anchorage, AY15/16)
Dakota Jones (South Anchorage, AY14/15)
Skyler Hektner (South Anchorage, AY14/15)
Garrett Rutherford (South Anchorage, AY14/15)
Terek Rutherford (South Anchorage, AY13/14)
Kari Jahnsen (South Anchorage, AY13/14)
Nicole Eldred (South Anchorage, AY13/14)
Paige Perez (South Anchorage, AY12/13)
Zach Minster (South Anchorage, AY12/13)
Claire Schapira (South Anchorage, AY11/12)
Jesse Lehman (South Anchorage, AY10/11)
Austin Heyroth (South Anchorage, AY10/11)
Dylan Hardenbergh (South Anchorage, AY10/11)
Kenneth Hubbell (South Anchorage, AY09/10)
The National Speech & Debate Association Academic All American Award recognizes students who demonstrate academic success, competitive achievement, and outstanding character.
Eligible students must have previously been recognized by the NSDA for Superior Distinction in competition, completed at least 5 semesters of high school, demonstrate outstanding character and leadership, and earned a GPA of 3.7 on a 4.0 scale (or it’s equivalent).
All State
Andora Ovsepyan (Dimond, AY24/25)
Wayne Barnum (Chugiak, AY24/25)
Andora Ovsepyan (Dimond, AY23/24)
Felix Myers (Sitka, AY23/24)
Callia Fielding (Skagway, AY22/23)
Callia Fielding (Skagway, AY21/22)
Grayson Shaw (South Anchorage, AY20/21)
Sadie Murphy (Skagway, AY19/20)
Alison Royce (South Anchorage, AY18/19)
Wyatt Skala (South Anchorage, AY17/18)
Philip Andress, IV (South Anchorage, AY17/18)
Krista Stapleford (South Anchorage, AY16/17)
Wyatt Skala (South Anchorage, AY16/17)
Garrett Rutherford (South Anchorage, AY15/16)
Krista Stapleford (South Anchorage, AY15/16)
Terek Rutherford (South Anchorage, AY14/15)
Skyler Hektner (South Anchorage, AY14/15)
Nicole Eldred (South Anchorage, AY13/14)
Terek Rutherford (South Anchorage, AY13/14)
Nicole Eldred (South Anchorage, AY12/13)
Dylan Hardenbergh (South Anchorage, AY11/12)
Tavish Logan (South Anchorage, AY11/12)
The National Speech & Debate Association recognizes the top all-around students in each state. The number of students recognized is limited by the number of students in that State that compete in the activity. For Alaska, this means only the top 1 or 2 students are named to the “All State” team each year.
Alaska State Drama, Debate, & Forensics Student of the Year
2024 - Felix Myers (Sitka)
2023 - Calia Fielding (Skagway)
2022 - Darby Osborne (Sitka)
2021 - Henry Clark (Ketchikan)
2020 - Shannon O’Hare (Eagle River)
2019 - Danny Brady (Skagway)
2018 - Aaron Jenkins (Robert Service - Anchorage)
2017 - Kira Hamilton (Robert Service - Anchorage)
2016 - Nolan Bunting (Homer)
2015 - Robyn McKnight (Seward)
2014 - Chaya Pike (Sitka)
2013 - Nicole Eldred (South Anchorage)
2012 - Zephyr Feryok (Sitka)
& Dylan Hardenbergh (South Anchorage)
Alaska State Drama, Debate, & Forensics Coach of the Year
2025 - Jared Griffin (Kodiak)
2024 - Michaela Kolerok (West)
2023 - Owen Fulton (Metlakatla)
2022 - Christian Litten (Sitka)
2021 - Kent Fielding (Skagway)
2020 - Jamie Marks, Corrine Marks, & Ashley Snookes (Thunder Mountain - Juneau)
2019 - John Schultz (West Anchorage)
2018 - Kelly Corrigan (Robert Service - Anchorage)
2017 - Marcia Drake (Mt. Edgecumbe - Sitka)
2016 - Chad Sant (Robert Service - Anchorage)
2015 - Cassidy Patnoe (Sitka)
2014 - Diane Swonger (Bartlett - Anchorage)
2013 - Valerie Baalerud (Eagle River)
2012 - Amy Johnson (Homer)
2011 - Brett Gilland (West Anchorage)
2010 - Shawn Briscoe (South Anchorage)
2009 - Stacey Woolsey (Sitka)
2008 - Tim Shields (Haines)
2007 - Nathan Vereide (Whitestone - Delta Junction)