CHARLOTTE — Charlotte Catholic High School’s Debate and Speech Team was named runner-up (second place) in the North Carolina State Championship. The team also earned third place in the Steven Davis Award of Excellence in Debate.
Thirty-seven members of the Charlotte Catholic High School Debate and Speech Team were selected to compete in the 40th Tarheel Forensic League state championship tournament April 1-2 at Southview High School and Southview Middle School in Fayetteville. More than 575 students from 34 schools across North Carolina competed.
The following members received individual debate awards:
- David Edwards: second place, Junior Varsity Lincoln-Douglas
- Caleb Schilly and Charles Haltiwanger: second place, Junior Varsity Public Forum
- Jack Kelly and David Williams: Junior Varsity Lincoln-Douglas Quarter-Finalist
- TJ DiVittorio and Joe Dicristo: Junior Varsity Public Forum Quarter-Finalist
- Paul Gennett and Kendyl James: Varsity Public Forum Octa-Finalist
- Austin Franks and Louis Ciano: Junior Varsity Lincoln-Douglas Octa-Finalist
- AJ Sciacca and Omeed Arooji: Junior Varsity Public Forum Octa-Finalist
- Ramsey White and Elizabeth Gregory: Junior Varsity Public Forum Octa-Finalist
- Will McKane and Fletcher Curran: Junior Varsity Public Forum Double Octa-Finalist
The following members received individual speech awards:
- Darlene Singui-Tanyi: Program Oral Interpretation State Champion and third place in Dramatic Interpretation
- Uwa Akhere: Second place in Dramatic Interpretation and semi-finalist in Humorous Interpretation
- Emily Ford: Semi-finalist in Humorous Interpretation and quarter-finalist in Impromptu Speaking
- Myia Legrande: Semi-finalist in Dramatic Interpretation and quarter-finalist in Program Oral Interpretation
- Brenna McBride: Semi-finalist in Dramatic Interpretation
- Samantha Pean, Mariana Rodriguez and Kathryn Barnabei: Semi-finalists in Declamation
— Mary A. Morales and Carolyn Kramer Tillman
CHARLOTTE — Two Visual Arts students from Charlotte Catholic High School recently received prestigious national awards through the Scholastic Art Awards competition. Senior Bella Garner and sophomore Perris Bowling were awarded Silver Medals in the National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition.
In the 2017 Mid-Carolinas Regional competition, Bowling’s and Garner’s photographic printmaking received Gold Key Awards. Gold Key recipients automatically advance to the national competition. Of the 1,800 Mid-Carolinas Gold Key recipients, only 37 students received national awards.
“Perris and Bella are among the top one percent of Scholastic Art award recipients in 2017 – nationally,” said photography teacher Joann Keane. “Photographic printmaking is one of the more recent photographic processes introduced at CCHS. Photography is ever-evolving as technology advances rapidly and in so many directions. In this fast-paced digital world, to see students gravitate to photo-artistic opportunities that utilize more hands-on methods is amazing and gratifying.”
“And, thanks to the generosity of the CCHS Foundation, we’ve been able to expand photographic printmaking opportunities, utilizing grant funds for both a wider format dye sublimation printer and larger press,” she added.
Garner and Bowling are the second and third National Scholastic Art Award recipients in the history of Charlotte Catholic. In 2015, Maddie Susi received a National Gold for her photography. In an interesting twist, Garner’s printmaking image is a photo of Maddie.
“Bella and Paris have made us all very proud,” said Principal Kurt Telford. “To see them honored in the top 1 percent nationally is just terrific.”
— Carolyn Kramer Tillman