The most NSDA speaker points in history by an elementary school student!!
2016-2017 School Year
2015-2016 School Year
Haddon Avenue and Roscoe Blvd Elementary Schools rocked the elementary speech world at the Principios Invitational II on November 7th, 2015, as they collectively produced three champions, three 2nd Places and five 3rd Places, despite being comprised of children from a severely underserved section of Pacoima and Sun Valley.
History
Elementary School Tournaments normally allow only 3rd-5th Graders to compete, though a few contests (in areas where there are junior high schools instead of middle schools) also permit 6th Graders. Normally, there are only 2-3 speech tournaments for elementary kids during each semester (there are a few more that are debate only), almost entirely attended by children in private school or costly after school enrichment academies. The only public elementaries which competed in 2014-15 were Roosevelt (San Gabriel Unified) and Haddon (LA Unified). In 2015-16, Roscoe (LAUSD) will also come aboard.
The absence of public schools is regrettable for society and the children who are deprived of the life-enhancing experience of honing one’s mental, verbal and emotional wits. Velasquez Academy is doing everything possible to create onramps for more elementary schools to feel ready to enter the area of competitive public speech. However, despite the obvious co
Elementary students coached by VA have taken 1st Place in a broad assortment of events, as evidenced by the ranks, photos and videos below. In particular, we have won flurries of trophies over the years in Impromptu, Declamation, Congressional Debate, Storytelling, Dramatic Interpretation and Original Oratory.
During 2015-16, in addition to “private lesson” students from all over Southern California (and across the country via Skype video conference), Velasquez Academy will be thoroughly preparing 3rd, 4th and 5th Graders at the following LAUSD elementary schools: Haddon Avenue and Roscoe Boulevard. Middle School State and Nationals allow select 5th Graders to compete under certain conditions. To date, VA has sent three 5th Graders to State
1st Place, Dramatic Interpretation, Orator’s Cup II — Lauren Velásquez-Galvez
1st Place, Thematic/Poetry Interpretation, Orator’s Cup II — Lesly Barrera
1st Place, Declamation, Principios 2014 — Chloe Gill [Perfect Score Academy]
1st Place, Impromptu, Principios 2014 —Solomon Baik [Perfect Score Academy]
1st Place, Original Oratory, Principios 2014 — Solomon Baik [Perfect Score Academy]
1st Place, Congressional Debate, Principios 2014 — Solomon Baik [Perfect Score Academy]
1st Place, SpAr, Principios 2014 — Nicholas Kim [Perfect Score Academy]
2nd Place, SpAr, Roosevelt 2015 — Alex Flores [Haddon Ave]
2nd Place, Dramatic Interpretation, Orator’s Cup II — Lesly Barrera
2nd Place, Congressional Debate, Orator’s Cup II — Sherry Xiao
2nd Place, SpAr, Orator’s Cup II — Alex Flores [Haddon Ave]
2nd Place, Thematic/Poetry Interpretation, Orator’s Cup II — Evelyn Torres [Haddon Ave.]
2nd Place, Declamation, Principios 2014 — Lauren Velásquez-Galvez
2nd Place, Impromptu, Principios 2014 — Chloe Gill [Perfect Score Academy]
2nd Place, Original Oratory, Principios 2014 — Kaiden Ko [Perfect Score Academy]
3rd Place, Congressional Debate, Orator’s Cup II — Sherry Xiao
3rd Place, Thematic/Poetry Interpretation, Orator’s Cup II — Lauren Velásquez-Galvez
3rd Place, SpAr, Orator’s Cup II — Justin Werner [Haddon Avenue]
3rd Place, Humorous Interpretation, Orator’s Cup II — Maya Vasquez [Haddon Avenue]
3rd Place, Dramatic Interpretation, Orator’s Cup II — Joceline Tejeda [Haddon Avenue]
3rd Place, Storytelling, Principios 2014 — Lizzie Vassantachart
3rd Place, Congressional Debate, Principios 2014 — Chloe Gill [Perfect Score Academy]
3rd Place, Impromptu, Principios 2014 — Matthew Salcedo [Perfect Score Academy]
3rd Place, Declamation, Principios 2014 — Matthew Salcedo [Perfect Score Academy]
3rd Place, Original Oratory, Principios 2014 — Sean Kim [Perfect Score Academy]
4th Place, Impromptu, Roosevelt 2015 — Sherry Xiao
4th Place, Dramatic Interpretation, Orator’s Cup II — Dulce Cuevas [Haddon Avenue]
4th Place, Storytelling, Principios 2014 — Lauren Velásquez-Galvez
4th Place, Congressional debate, Principios 2014 — Chloe Gill [Perfect Score Academy]
5th Place, SpAr, Roosevelt 2015 — Jacob Rasha [Haddon Avenue]
5th Place, SpAr, Orator’s Cup II — Angel Luna [Haddon Avenue]
5th Place, Storytelling, Principios 2014 — Lesly Barrera
5th Place, Impromptu, Principios 2014 — Kaiden Ko [Perfect Score Academy]
6th Place, SpAr, Roosevelt 2015 — Justin Werner [Haddon Avenue]
6th Place, Storytelling, Roosevelt 2015 — Lizzie Vassantachart
6th Place, Storytelling, Orator’s Cup II — Lesly Barrera
6th Place, Declamation, Orator’s Cup II — Evelyn Torres [Haddon Avenue]
6th Place, SpAr, Orator’s Cup II — Samuel Paredes [Haddon Avenue]
6th Place, Storytelling, Principios 2014 — Siya Khanna [Perfect Score Academy]
7th Place, SpAr, Roosevelt 2015 — Maya Vasquez [Haddon Avenue]
7th Place, Congressional Debate, Middle School State — Justin Werner [Haddon Ave]
7th Place, Storytelling, Orator’s Cup II — Lauren Velásquez-Galvez
7th Place, Declamation, Orator’s Cup II — Alex Flores [Haddon Avenue]
8th Place, Congressional Debate, Middle School State — Alex Flores [Haddon Ave]
8th Place, Impromptu Speaking, Orator’s Cup II — Sherry Xiao
8th Place, Declamation, Orator’s Cup II — Stephanie Barro [Haddon Avenue]
