Category: Interviews Page 1 of 3

NSDA National Champion Interview with Laurel Holley

On December 16, 2021

Laurel Holley competed for Riverside High School in Greenville, South Carolina. She was the 2021 NSDA U.S. Extemp National Champion, 2021 Ronald Reagan Great Communicator Debate Series National Champion, two-time South Carolina state champion in Extemporaneous Speaking and Impromptu Speaking, and a two-time NSDA Nationals finalist. Laurel will be attending Duke University in the fall, where she will study public policy, global health, and Chinese.

Laurel agreed to sit down with Extemp Central to talk about her road to the NSDA National Championship and what advice she would give current extempers.

NSDA National Champion Interview with Pranav Pattatathunaduvil

On December 2, 2021

Pranav Pattatathunaduvil attended Plano West Senior High School in Plano, Texas. He was the 2021 NSDA National Champion in International Extemp, 2020 Champion of the Glenbrooks in Domestic Extemp, and runner-up at the 2021 Montgomery Bell Academy Round Robin, 2020 Harvard Invitational, and 2020 Tournament of Champions (TOC). He is currently a freshman at Yale University, studying Global Affairs and Economics.

Pranav graciously agreed to talk with Extemp Central about his career, sharing his thoughts on navigating the wild 2020-2021 national circuit season and the people who helped him along the way.

NSDA National Champion Interview with Jacqueline Wei

On October 16, 2019

Jacqueline Wei competed for Plano West Senior High School in Plano, Texas, and graduated in 2019. She is the 2018 & 2019 NSDA USX national champion & President’s Bowl winner, the 2019 MBA champion, the 2018 Texas and 2019 UIL State champion, and the 2019 Northwestern Extemporaneous TOC champion. She is currently a first-year student at Harvard University and plans to study applied math and economics.

Jacqueline kindly agreed to talk with Extemp Central about her career, sharing her thoughts on how younger extempers could improve as well as the future of the activity.

NSDA Final Round Champion Interview with Clay Owens

On January 25, 2018

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Clay Owens competed for Perry High School in Massillon, Ohio. He is a former Ohio state champion and won the national final round of the 2017 NSDA national tournament in International Extemp. Clay agreed to sit down with Extemp Central to discuss his career and his thoughts on extemporaneous speaking.

MBA Champion Interview with Josh Wartel

On September 4, 2015

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Josh Wartel competed for Lake Braddock Secondary School. He was a MBA Extemp Round Robin, Patriot Games, Patriot Games Round Robin, TOC, Blue Key Round Robin, two-time Villager and three-time Virginia state champion. He was a finalist at NCFLs, three-time NSDA finalist and the 2015 United States final round winner. He will be studying at Brown University.

After placing third in the 2014-2015 National Points Race and winning the final round of last year’s NSDA U.S. Extemp competition, Wartel agreed to talk with Extemp Central about his career.

NCFL National Champion Interview with Yijia Liang

On August 28, 2015

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Yijia Liang competed for Upper Arlington High School in Ohio. He was the 2015 NCFL National Champion in Extemp, won the 2014 Wake Forest Early Bird Invitational, participated in the 2015 MBA Round Robin, and placed at several national tournaments.

Yijia agreed to sit down for an interview with Extemp Central to discuss his career and provide advice to younger extempers.

NSDA National Champion Interview with Brian Yu

On August 21, 2015

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Brian Yu competed for Monte Vista High School in Danville, California. He was the 2015 NSDA U.S. Extemp National Champion, a three-time California state champion in U.S. Extemp, the winner of the 2014 California Invitational, and a two-time NSDA U.S. Extemp finalist. Brian will be attending Harvard University in the fall, where he will study computer science and economics.

Brian agreed to talk with Extemp Central about his career and share his thoughts on the activity.

National Points Race Champion Interview with Brian Anderson

On August 14, 2015

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Brian Anderson competed for LaRue County High School in Kentucky. He was a three-time Kentucky state champion, the 2014 Barkley Forum extemporaneous speaking champion, the winner of the University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (TOC), the 2015 National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) International Extemp National Champion, and the 2014-2015 Extemp Central National Points Race winner. Brian will be attending Western Kentucky University in the fall, where he will compete for the school’s national winning forensic program.

Brian agreed to sit down with Extemp Central to discuss his career and thoughts on the activity.

NSDA Champion Interview with Miles Saffran (Part Two)

On September 12, 2014

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Miles Saffran competed for Trinity Preparatory High School in Florida. He was the 2014 NSDA National Champion in International Extemporaneous Speaking, the 2014 FFL State Champion in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking, and a two time qualifier to the Exhibition Round at the Montgomery Bell Academy. Miles also won several national tournaments, including Wake Forest, Yale, Bronx, Blue Key, Sunvitational, and Emory, and placing in the top three at Harvard and MBA. He will be studying at Yale University, where he will continue his debate career with the Yale Debate Association.

Miles agreed to sit down with Extemp Central to discuss his career and thoughts on the activity. Part one of this interview can be found here.

NSDA Champion Interview with Miles Saffran (Part One)

On September 11, 2014

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Miles Saffran competed for Trinity Preparatory High School in Florida. He was the 2014 NSDA National Champion in International Extemporaneous Speaking, the 2014 FFL State Champion in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking, and a two time qualifier to the Exhibition Round at the Montgomery Bell Academy. Miles also won several national tournaments, including Wake Forest, Yale, Bronx, Blue Key, Sunvitational, and Emory, and placing in the top three at Harvard and MBA. He will be studying at Yale University, where he will continue his debate career with the Yale Debate Association.

Miles agreed to sit down with Extemp Central to discuss his career and thoughts on the activity.

Yale Champion and NSDA Finalist Interview with Chase Harrison (Part Two)

On September 5, 2014

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Chase Harrison competed for Millburn High School in New Jersey. He was the 2011 Yale Invitational winner and a two-time finalist at the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) National Tournament in United States Extemp (2012 and 2013). He also qualified for the Exhibition Round at the Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin two times and was a three-time runner-up at the Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University. Last fall, Chase became the youngest person elected to a public office in New Jersey history by winning a one-year term on the Millburn Board of Education.

This is the second part of a two-part interview. Click here to access part one.

Yale Champion and NSDA Finalist Interview with Chase Harrison (Part One)

On September 4, 2014

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Chase Harrison competed for Millburn High School in New Jersey. He was the 2011 Yale Invitational winner and a two-time finalist at the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) National Tournament in United States Extemp (2012 and 2013). He also qualified for the Exhibition Round at the Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin two times and was a three-time runner-up at the Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) at Northwestern University. Last fall, Chase became the youngest person elected to a public office in New Jersey history by winning a one-year term on the Millburn Board of Education.

Chase decided to sit down and talk with Extemp Central about his career, future plans, and what made him a successful competitor on the national circuit.

NSDA Champion Interview with Arel Rende (Part Two)

On August 29, 2014

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Arel Rende competed for Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, OK for three years. He was a four-time Oklahoma Class 6A State Champion, winning three championships in DX and one in OO. He was a two-time NSDA National Champion in United States Extemporaneous Speaking (2013 and 2014), winning the final round at NSDA Nationals in each of those years. Last season, Arel won the St. Mark’s Heart of Texas Invitational, the University of Texas Longhorn Classic, and the Harvard National Invitational. He was also a participant in the 2014 MBA Exhibition Round and the 2014 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) final round. This fall, Arel will be studying finance at The University of Texas-Austin and competing on their speech them.

Arel agreed to do an interview with Extemp Central to reflect on his career and provide advice to young extempers. Part one of this interview can be found here.

NSDA Champion Interview with Arel Rende (Part One)

On August 28, 2014

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Arel Rende competed for Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, OK for three years. He was a four-time Oklahoma Class 6A State Champion, winning three championships in DX and one in OO. He was a two-time NSDA National Champion in United States Extemporaneous Speaking (2013 and 2014), winning the final round at NSDA Nationals in each of those years. Last season, Arel won the St. Mark’s Heart of Texas Invitational, the University of Texas Longhorn Classic, and the Harvard National Invitational. He was also a participant in the 2014 MBA Exhibition Round and the 2014 Extemporaneous Speaking Tournament of Champions (TOC) final round. This fall, Arel will be studying finance at The University of Texas-Austin and competing on their speech them.

Arel agreed to do an interview with Extemp Central to reflect on his career and provide advice to young extempers.

Major Champion Interview with Lily Nellans (Part Two)

On August 15, 2014

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Lily Nellans competed for Des Moines Roosevelt High School In Iowa and holds the all-time record for major championship wins. She is the three-time winner of the MBA Extemp Round Robin and the Extemp Tournament of Champions (TOC). During her career she also won the NCFL National Championship and was a three-time finalist at the NSDA National Tournament. She’s a four time Iowa State Champion, won Extemp Central’s 2012 National Points Race, and she notched victories at Wake Forest, St.Marks, Florida Blue Key, The Glenbrooks, GMU Patriot Games, The Schwan’s Speech Spectacular and Harvard. She will be studying International Affairs at Western Kentucky University, where she will continue her extemp career.

Lily agreed to participate in a two part interview with Extemp Central to give her thoughts on extemporaneous speaking, her career, and the participation of women in high school extemp. Part one of her interview can be accessed here.

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