Colorado Team Wins Third Straight Speech and Debate Title

A small Colorado high school just proved that great communication skills never go out of style. Resurrection Christian won their third straight Class 3A Speech and Debate state championship in Pueblo, finishing with 152 points and leaving second place University Schools nearly 30 points behind.

The victory feels even sweeter because of how far the team has come. When current senior Maelin Rennemeyer joined as a freshman, the squad had just 20 members. This year, 53 students made the trip to the state tournament.

Five Cougars took home individual championships across different categories. Trace Orlando won in Extemporaneous Speaking, while Rennemeyer claimed her second straight Humorous Interpretation title. Luke Yowell dominated Value Debate, and the duo of Carter Adams and Mia Lee won Duo Interpretation.

Coach Levi Smith has led all three championship runs and credits this year's senior class for building something lasting. The seniors have been competing together since their freshman year, creating a culture that younger students can follow.

Rennemeyer captured what makes this win special. "Being a senior and getting to watch how much the team has grown over the past four years, I really feel like our seniors have left a legacy on this team," she said after her victory.

The Ripple Effect

These aren't just trophies collecting dust in a case. Speech and debate skills translate directly into careers in law, education, business, and public service. The students learn to think quickly, argue persuasively, and connect with audiences.

Smith sees it as preparation for life beyond competition. "It's fun when their skill sets translate to what they are actually going to do in the future," he explained. The team also won the separate Debate-only team championship, showing their depth across categories.

Orlando emphasized how the victories reflect team unity rather than individual talent. "It's not just one or two of us winning individually, but it's our team community building us up together," he said.

Eagle Valley High School also celebrated repeat success, with Iris Sheldon winning her second consecutive Informative Speaking championship. University Schools claimed the Team Speech-only crown, making this a weekend where Colorado students showed just how powerful words can be.

The Cougars now face the challenge of replacing a talented senior class next year, but they've built something that goes beyond any single group of students.