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HCISD students win national speech & debate titles; multiple students attend Boys/Girls State
Summary
Harlingen CISD middle and high school speech & debate teams returned from national competition with multiple finalists and four national championships. The board recognized students and coaches. The district also sent student delegates to Boys State and Girls State programs.
The board recognized record performances by HCISD speech and debate students at the National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) national tournament in Des Moines, Iowa. Middle‑school finalists included national placements in declamation, dramatic interpretation, poetry and program oral interpretation. Several middle‑school students placed in the top six nationally; presenters highlighted that a 6th grader and a 7th grader had high finishes and will return to compete in coming years.
At the high‑school level, HCISD students achieved an historic showing: Harlingen High School and Harlingen High School South brought home four national championships and three national finalists. The board screening included a highlight video of performances and named individual awards and scholarship placements. Coaches and directors were recognized onstage; the board and superintendent asked for the video and highlights to be posted on district social media and the website.
Board members praised the program's leadership and depth, credited coaches and families, and urged students to consider returning to the Valley after college to contribute to the community.
The board also recognized student delegates who attended Boys State (University of Texas) and Girls State (Texas Lutheran University) this summer. The programs, sponsored by the American Legion and similar organizations, provide civic leadership training and simulated government experiences. Board members noted this was the first year HCISD participated in the selection and nomination process in recent memory and praised the students selected to attend.
