Student news: Geo Bee winner, Forensic League tournament and Speech League champs

Seventh grader wins Aquinas Academy Geo Bee

Seventh grade Aquinas Academy student Mark Bence won the school’s Geo Bee on Jan. 29.

All Aquinas Academy fourth through eighth grade students participated in the bee.

The following students were finalists: Mark Bence (seventh grade), Elizabeth Bird (fourth grade), Sam Ennis (fifth grade), Anna Ravotti (fourth grade), Laura Greppi (eighth grade), Michael Greppi (sixth grade), Felicity Koble (seventh grade), Peter Koble (fifth grade), Brigid Mercer (sixth grade) and Alice Rothfus (eighth grade).

Sam Ennis, Mark Bence, Alice Rothfus, and Laura Greppi were repeat finalists from previous years. Michael Greppi and Felicity Koble were competing as finalists for their third time.

Although the National Geo Bee Contest was canceled this year, Aquinas Academy’s sixth-grade geography teacher, Mike Flynn, was determined to give students an opportunity to compete at the school level this year.

Speech league tournament

Six Fox Chapel Area High School students placed in the Pennsylvania High School Speech League’s (PHSSL) District 2 state championship-qualifying virtual tournament. The Policy Debate team of senior Jackson Romero and junior Ian Mackey-Piccolo placed first; freshman Lilly Friedman won first place in Informative Speaking; freshman Isabella White was awarded second place in Lincoln-Douglas Debate; and freshman Seoyoon “Heidi” Lee earned second place in Poetry.

Junior Patrick Alexander qualified for the state championships by accumulating three bids based on his performances at local tournaments throughout the regular season.

The PHSSL State Championship Tournament will be hosted virtually by Bloomsburg University March 13 and 14.

About 60 students from the region competed in the District 2 state-qualifying tournament, hosted virtually Feb. 27.

Forensic League tournament

Seven Fox Chapel Area High School students qualified for the National Catholic Forensic League Grand National Championship Tournament. They are seniors Suparna Agrawal and Hannah Jahnke in Duo Interpretation of Literature, senior Jackson Romero and junior Ian Mackey-Piccolo in Policy Debate, junior Patrick Alexander in Student Congress, freshman Lilly Friedman in Original Oratory and freshman Seoyoon “Heidi” Lee in Oral Interpretation of Literature.

They each have advanced to represent the Pittsburgh Diocese at the Grand National Championship Tournament to be held virtually Memorial Day weekend. Additionally, freshman Isabella White will serve as an alternate in Lincoln-Douglas Debate for the national tournament.

The Pittsburgh Diocese Catholic Forensic League national-qualifying tournament was held virtually March 6 with 185 students.