West Fargo High School Speech

Team Announcements

  • The first informational meeting for grades 9-12 will be Tuesday, December 6th, 2022 after school in room 105G at WFHS. 

    For grades 7-8, the first informational meeting will take place on Thursday, December 8th, 2022, at 4 p.m. in the Cheney Media Center. 

    Please reach out to Coach Dakota Breen for more information. 
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  • Sumaya Abukar took home first place in Poetry at the 2021 State A Speech competition. 

    Brynn Howitz placed 3rd in EPR. 
    Mansib Rahman placed 4th in Radio.
    Maria Madruga placed 5th in Serious Prose. 
    Julia Vickers placed 8th in Humorous Interp. 

    West Fargo High School placed 8th overall out of 17 Class A Schools in attendance. 
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  • The WFHS Speech team had an excellent showing at the 2021 EDC competition hosted at West Fargo High School. The team had TWO regional champions: Mansib Rahman in Radio and Nyssa Haslerud in Inform. The team had 13 events qualify for State A Speech. 
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  • Through the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA), Coach Dakota Breen was recognized at the 2020 National Speech and Debate Tournament in June as earning her First Diamond Award.

    Diamond coach awards reflect excellence and longevity in the activity. A coach’s first Diamond is earned when they receive 15,000 points and have been coaching in the Association for at least five years since achieving the degree of merit (25 points). Five years must pass between each new diamond award, and 15,000 points must be earned to receive a second diamond. An additional 30,000 points must be earned and five years must pass for each additional diamond.
     
    Coaches who have received diamond awards during the current academic year are recognized during the Donus D. Roberts Diamond Assembly at that year’s National Tournament
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  • West Fargo High School speech achieved 100 or more strength points during the 2020 season earning membership in National Speech and Debate's prestigious 100 Club. This milestone is remarkable because it demonstrates outstanding commitment to teaching students essential life skills--including communication, research, listening, writing, and organization. 

    This is the fifth year in a row that WFHS has been awarded membership to NSDA's 100 club. 
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  • At the EDC competition held at Fargo North High School in April 2019, Coach Dakota Breen was selected by other coaches in the EDC as Coach of the Year. 
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What is Speech?

  • Speech is an academic activity that focuses on fostering public speaking and performance in a team and competitive environment. The season runs from January to April.  Students can choose from fourteen different events in which to compete. Grades 7-12 can compete. 

    Written Speeches

    Speech to Persuade

    Speech to Inform

    Speech to Entertain

    Limited Preparation Events

    Radio Broadcasting

    Extemporaneous Programmed Reading

    Extemporaneous Speaking

    Storytelling

    Impromptu Speaking

    Interpretations

    Dramatic

    Humorous

    Serious Prose

    Humorous Duo

    Serious Duo

    Poetry

     

     

Meet the Coaching Staff

Phone: 7013562050

Email:

Degrees and Certifications:

M.Ed. English Learner Education, UND B.A. English Education, UND Minor in Spanish, UND National Board Certified Teacher in English as a New Language First Diamond Coach & National Speech and Debate Certified Coach

Ms. Dakota Breen

Dakota Breen has been head coach of WFHS Speech since 2013. She competed in Speech in high school. Dakota is licensed to teach public speaking in the state of North Dakota. She has been an active member of CSTAND since 2013. She has earned an Outstanding Distinction degree as a coach in the National Speech and Debate Association and has been a member since 2014.

In 2019, Coach Breen was selected by her coaching peers as the EDC Coach of the Year.  

You can contact her via her email  dbreen@west-fargo.k12.nd.us

Phone:

Email:

Degrees and Certifications:

Ms. Brittney Muske

Brittney Muske has been an assistant speech coach since 2021. She is an online college student at Black Hills University. She competed in Speech in high school. 

Phone: 7013562050

Email:

Degrees and Certifications:

Mr. Seth Schaefer

Seth Schaefer has been assistant coaching for the WFHS Speech team since the 2021-2022 season. Mr. Schaefer teaches band at both West Fargo High School and Cheney Middle School. 

 

Team Schedule

Team Roster

  • Middle School Nationals Quarterfinalist

    Congratulations to team member Harnoor Johal for reaching the quarterfinals at this year's online National Middle School tournament in the event of Original Oratory. 
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  • 2022 National Speech and Debate Tournament

    Several WFHS Speech team members headed to Louisville, Kentucky, in June 2022.  Omkar Jarajapu competed in International Extemporaneous speaking. Nyssa Haslerud competed in the House of Student Congress. Sumaya Abukar competed in Poetry and Prose. Taylor McElroy competed in Storytelling and Prose. 

     
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  • 2020 National Qualifiers

    West Fargo High School sends 3 to the National Speech and Debate Tournament in June 2020. 

    The 2020 National Speech and Debate tournament was held virtually due to COVID-19.  Three students on the West Fargo High School Speech team were honored by being selected to represent the state of North Dakota and the ND Roughrider NDSA district in competition. 

    Ellise Hogen competed in Dramatic Interpretation. 

    Lara Al Selim and Karyna Bjorem competed in Duo Interpretation. 

    All three students were seniors at WFHS during the 2020 school year. 
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  • 2019 State A Speech Results for West Fargo High School

    Competition Results from State A Speech in Jamestown

    Daisy Remmick- 5th place in Extemp. Programmed Reading

    Sarah Stinson- 8th place in Extemp. Programmed Reading

    Mansib Rahman- 2nd place in Radio

    Sarah Stinson and Tedi Dimmer- 8th place in Serious Duo

    Furqan Mahdi- 6th place in Inform

    Iqra Hassan- 7th place in Inform

    Ellise Hogen- 6th place in Dramatic Interp. 

     
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  • 2019 EDC Results

    All those listed below advanced to State A competition in 2020. 

    Ellise Hogen- 8th place in Dramatic Interp.

    Sarah Stinson- 3rd place in Extemp. Programmed Reading

    Daisy Remmick- 8th place in Extemp. Programmed Reading

    Omkar Jarajapu- State qualified in Extemp. Speaking

    Ryan Masog and Tommy Lindquist- 2nd in Humorous Duo

    Abhijna Kavaserri- State qualified in Humorous Interp. and 6th in Inform

    Mansib Rahman- State qualified in Radio

    Lara Al Selim- EDC Champion in Entertain

    Sarah Stinson and Tedi Dimmer- 2nd in Serious Duo

    Fatuma Said- 5th place in Entertain

    Iqra Hassan- EDC Champion in Inform

    Furqan- EDC Champion in Inform and State qualified in Persuade

    Maka Jibrel and Lara Al Selim- 7th in Serious Duo. 

    Taylor McElroy- 5th in Storytelling

    Tacy Gillund- State qualified in Storytelling

     
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  • North Dakota Roughriders- National Speech and Debate Qualifying Tournament Results

    Haison Nguyen Nationally Qualified in Humorous Interpretation

    Raeef Rahman Nationally Qualified in International Extemporaneous Speaking

    Hunter Cowdrey selected to participate in World Schools Debate at Nationals. 

     

    The team went to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in June to compete. 
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  • 2018 State A Speech Results for West Fargo High School

    Overall State A Placement as a team--Tied for 5th place. 

    Anna Joyce was State A Champion in Humorous Interpretation and 3rd place in Extemporaneous Programmed Reading

    Sarah Stinson was 5th in Extemporaneous Programmed Reading

    Raeef Rahman got 4th in Extemporaneous Speaking and 8th in Impromptu

    Joseph Mollet got 8th in Serious Duo and 4th in Storytelling

    Sofia Hansen got 8th in Serious Duo and 3rd in Speech to Entertain
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  • 2018 EDC Speech Results for West Fargo High School

    Overall Placement: 5th place as a team

    Anna Joyce - Regional champion in Extemporaneous Program Reading and 4th place in Humorous Interpretation

    Raeef Rahman- 5th place in Extemporaneous Speaking and State Qualified in Impromptu Speaking

    Hunter Cowdrey- 3rd place in Radio Broadcasting and 6th place in Extemporaneous Speaking

    Omkar Jarajapu- State qualified in Extemporaneous Speaking

    Sofia Hansen- 3rd place in Serious Duo and 4th place in Speech to Entertain

    Joseph Mollet- 3rd place in Serous Duo and State Qualified in Storytelling

    Ian Swenson- State Qualified in Humorous Interpretation

    Destiny Heinen- State Qualified in Humorous Interpretation

    Jwan Al Selim- 3rd place in Humorous Duo and 6th place in Poetry

    Lara Al Selim- 3rd place in Humorous Duo and State Qualified in Speech to Persuade

    Ryan Masog- 7th place in Humorous Duo

    Tommy Lindquist- 7th place in Humorous Duo

    Kerstin Duursma- State Qualified in Poetry and Serious Prose

    Tacy Gillund- 8th place in Storytelling

    Madison Huber- State Qualified in Storytelling

    Sarah Stinson- 6th place in Extemporaneous Programmed Reading and 8th place in Dramatic Interpretation

    Rishab Advani- State Qualified in Radio Broadcasting. 
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Notes from the Coach