The speech team was represented by several ninth graders at the Western Bay Forensics League (WBFL) tournament held at Peninsula High School on November 15th, 2025. Despite competing against older and more experienced students, the HW competitors delivered strong individual performances and earned top placements.
Eva Chang ’29 placed 1st in Original Advocacy, Isaac Fujikawa ’29 earned 2nd place in Extemporaneous Speaking, and Bella Cho ’29 finished as a Finalist in Original Advocacy. Their results reflected months of personal commitment and preparation to their topics.
Preparing for the tournament required consistent practice and repeated revisions. Chang said one of the biggest challenges was continuously revising her speech in response to the judges’ feedback while balancing her academic responsibilities. One of the most memorable moments for her was the moments that occurred between rounds.
“The time after each round when my friends and I would meet to debrief really stood out to me,” Chang said. “We talked about what went well or what went wrong and analyzed our competition. It was a great way to destress before and after rounds.”
Mentors and coaches played an important role in supporting the individual competitor throughout the season.
“Watching my students succeed was such a proud and meaningful moment,” Speech Coach Sarina Wang said.
Although many of the ninth graders entered the season unsure of themselves, “the experience helped us gain confidence and believe in our abilities,” Fujikawa said.
The strong results at the WBFL Tournament highlighted the dedication and discipline of HW’s younger speakers. Competing successfully in a high school-level field, the ninth graders demonstrated both confidence and potential, setting a strong foundation for future competitions.
