Post updated at 5:10 p.m. Monday, May 19:
Free State High School senior Anwen Williams added to her impressive list of forensics accomplishments by claiming a national championship in extemporaneous speaking over the weekend.
Williams, who is planning to head to Georgetown University next fall, has already left a legacy of success at Free State.
The senior has multiple individual state titles, has helped Free State extend its streak of team state titles, and she earned the degree of premier distinction, the National Speech and Debate Association’s highest honor.
Williams joined a handful of other firebirds at the National Individual Events Tournament of Champions in Liberty, Missouri. She bested 166 other competitors to win the championship.
“It felt great,” Williams said. “I didn’t expect it at all.”
She said the most important key to her success in speech and debate has been personal responsibility and dedication to improvement. She credited her success to the Free State coaching staff, especially assistant coach Michael Shelton.
“My advice would be to go for every single opportunity,” she said. “No matter how slim the chances are, you won’t know what you’re capable of until you at least try.”
Williams also advanced to the top 60 in informative speaking, and junior Breahna Randall advanced in original oratory.
Free State placed 13th in the country for its size division of 65 schools.
The National Individual Events Tournament of Champions features students from across the country who have placed well at regular season tournaments. It is one of the most competitive tournaments for speech events and does not feature any debate events. 182 total schools competed this year.
This is the second national championship for Free State’s speech and debate program. John Marshall and Serena Rupp won the policy debate Tournament of Champions in 2020.
Both Free State and Lawrence High’s speech and debate teams are looking ahead to the National Speech and Debate Association national tournament in June. Fundraisers to support travel costs to the national tournament are open for both Free State and Lawrence High.
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Cuyler Dunn (he/him), a contributor to The Lawrence Times since April 2022, is a student at the University of Kansas School of Journalism. He is a graduate of Lawrence High School where he was the editor-in-chief of the school’s newspaper, The Budget, and was named the 2022 Kansas High School Journalist of the Year. Read his complete bio here. Read more of his work for the Times here.
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