By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Sitka High School drama, debate and forensics squad swept all four competitive categories at the state meet in Juneau last weekend.
The Wolves came out on top for Division II, with top team prizes in the separate categories of Drama, Debate, Forensics and “sweepstakes.” The team also captured the academic prize for the highest cumulative GPA.
A showcase of some of the best pieces will be 7 p.m. Friday, March 6, at the Performing Arts Center.
Sitka was also a powerhouse in individual events, with top place finishes in debate, duet, mime and informative speaking.
Team prizes are awarded by division, according to school size. In individual events, all students compete together, regardless of school size.
Sitka High coach Christian Litten cited the achievements of the team members, some of whom placed in more than one event, and said he was particularly pleased that Sitka captured the forensics trophy for the first time.
“We’ve never won forensics,” the coach said. “With the number of speeches we won, it kicked us over the top.”
Litten gave credit to fellow coach Amy Ainslie for her work with the debaters, who dominated the field.
Of the four semifinalist teams in debate, three were from Sitka: junior Tava Guillory and Kanish Djaker, Cora Dow and Hahlen Behnken-Barkhau, and Anja Brooks-Schmidt and Darby Osborne. In the end, Dow-Behnken-Barkhau and Brooks-Schmidt-Osborne tied for first.
As to how they had so much success this year, Litten said, “because they have the best coach in the state,” referring to Ainslie. “Not to mention the kids are super into it. We have a dedicated group of upper classmen and underclassmen.”
Team members told the Sentinel that the debate squads from Sitka help each other get prepared, and sharpen each other’s arguments and responses to arguments.
Christian Litten, Sitka High School drama, debate and forensics coach, left, stands with members of the state championship team, from left, Rebecca Warren, Savannah Lacey, Hahlen Behnken-Barkhau, Kayla Sheakley , Tava Guillory, Darby Osborne, Asa Dow and Kanish Djaker. Not pictured are Caribeth Gundran, Levi Danielson, Zia Allen, Cora Dow, Mina Brooks-Schmidt and Anja Brooks-Schmidt. (Sentinel Photo)
The kids said they were surprised to find they had taken the all-academic award.
Litten has been coaching the team for four years, and each time the team has taken the “sweepstakes” award for the total of their finishes in the combined categories.
“These kids really get me inspired - I can’t wait to be back next year,” Litten said. “I’m excited to get the juniors back, and up there next year at state.”
Besides tying for first in debate, Behnken-Barkhau, a senior, took home other honors. He and sophomore Asa Dow are back-to-back winners in the mime category, joined by teammates Savannah Lacey (sophomore) and Rebecca Warren. Their original piece “Aggressive Advertising” told the story of mannequins that come to life and force shoppers to buy clothing in the store.
“I was surprised (to win),” Behnken-Barkhau said, “just like I was last year. It’s an event people do just for fun.”
He said he was more excited with his debate win. He said he and his teammate worked well together all season long. This is his last meet for Sitka High but he hopes to join debate next year at Whitman College.
Lacey was making her state debut, and was pleased to have taken a first place in an individual category, in addition to the team wins. She also competed in Readers Theater and duo categories.
She said she enjoyed the process of working on pieces, and seeing improvements.
Anja Brooks-Schmidt, a senior, said it was gratifying to see the success of the debate squad. Team members out of the competition helped those who went forward, contributing material and making sure the teams were ready to answer any arguments from opponents.
“This year we were really close, and we work together a lot,” she said. “Before the final debate we had the whole team helping us, going into semifinals.” Sophomores Asa Dow and Mina Brooks-Schmidt also broke into quarterfinals for debate.
Anja’s debate partner, Darby Osborne, said the two make a good combination. “She’s been really amazing to work with. We complement each other. She’s really good at preparing evidence, and I’m good at compiling evidence.”
Osborne said she liked sharing the first-place medal with her teammate. “To have two debate teams win is pretty incredible at a state competition.”
Osborne also was first in informative speaking, for her speech on body language; and fifth in oration, for her speech on civil disobedience.
Cora Dow – in her fourth and last year of DDF – took home a first place in duet, with her brother Asa, as well as a tie for first in debate. She said she and Behnken-Barkhau are not necessarily good speakers, but “We’re both logical ... We both have good arguments.” The two were also ranked in the top 10 for speaker points.
The duet, “A New Hopeless,” involves a debate between brother and sister about what movie to see. Cora said she liked that judges noted that she and her brother worked really well together. “It’s really easy and natural – it’s siblings fighting,” she said.
She also was fourth in informative speaking, for a speech about women representation: “The role of women in society, the role of women in politics and what solutions to achieve equal representation.”
In other results, Kayla Sheakley, a senior, took second in solo acting; and sixth in duet acting, with partner Caribeth Gundran, also a senior.
Tava Guillory, a junior, made it to semifinals for her oration, with an argument about making menstrual products available for free in public bathrooms.
Juniors Zia Allen and Levi Danielson had a duo that scored well throughout the season, and narrowly missed making finals, Ainslie said. She looks forward to coaching again next season.
“I’m really proud of the kids,” Ainslie said. “It’s really rare to have all teams break into elimination rounds, three teams in the semifinals, and two in the finals from the same school. It speaks to how well they worked together and how well they helped each other be prepared. I’m really proud of that.”
Results
Semifinalist in Original Oratory: Tava Guillory
5th place in Original Oratory: Darby Osborne
4th place in Informative Speaking: Cora Dow
1st place in Informative Speaking: Darby Osborne
1st place in Pantomime: Hahlen Behnken-Barkhau, Asa Dow, Savannah Lacey, and Rebecca Warren
6th place in Duet Acting: Caribeth Gundran and Kayla Sheakley
1st place in Duet Acting: Cora Dow and Asa Dow
2nd place in Solo Acting: Kayla Sheakley
3rd place and Semifinalist for Public Forum Debate: Tava Guillory and Kanish Djaker
Tied for 1st place in Public Forum Debate: Hahlen Behnken-Barkhau, Cora Dow, Anja Brooks-Schmidt, and Darby Osborne
Team Awards:
Division II Drama State Champion
Division II Debate State Champion
Division II Forensics State Champion
Division II Sweepstakes State Champion
Division II All-Academic Award
