Lake Braddock Secondary Student Places 5th at National Speech Competition

Lake Braddock Secondary School (LBSS) sophomore Josh Wartel placed fifth in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking at the National Forensic League’s National Championship Speech Tournament last week in Alabama.

Wartel, is one of three Virginians to reach the championship round in either Domestic or International Extemporaneous Speaking in the tournament’s 88 year history, according to a news release.

Lake Braddock also received a “School of Honor” award, which recognizes schools who finish between 40th and 21st place in the tournament’s school standings. 

Wartel was also one of three students representing Lake Braddock at the tournament. Junior and team captain Jonah Scharf and sophomore Benjamin Tobin, also competed. Scharf was eliminated from the tournament’s extemporaneous speaking competition in Round 6, the releases states, but placed in the top 60 speakers in “Extemporaneous Commentary.”

“Josh, Jonah and Ben, worked incredibly hard to represent Lake Braddock in this competition. For Josh to reach the final round of competition is a notable achievement for a sophomore, and is indicative of the young man’s work ethic, his ability to focus on achievement, and his will to sacrifice many things that high school students take for granted, in his quest for excellence,” said LBSS Team Head Coach Duane Hyland.

More than 250 speakers and 967 high schools from across the country participated in the five-day long tournament.