Every Monday after school, OCSA students in Speech and Debate meet for an hour with Mrs. Taylor to practice and rehearse their speeches in preparation for various regional competitions. In the most recent of these competitions, at the NFCFL Grand Finals, junior creative writer Ethan Baez’s superb performance in Original Oratory earned him a spot to compete at the nation’s capital.

At the national contest in Washington D.C., Ethan will not only vie for a champion title but will also visit historic landmarks such as the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial.

Ethan will be the first student in the county to go to nationals since the reestablishment of Speech and Debate. Paving the path for new members of the program, Ethan’s success serves as a beacon of inspiration for students across the region waiting for the moment they, like him, emerge victorious.