Hendersonville Speech & Debate

And with that, the 2025–2026 Speech and Debate season comes to a close, marked by our program’s second appearance at the National Tournament.

A huge congratulations to Yelena (Senior) and Madelynn, Audrey, and Harper (Freshmen) for giving it their all against the toughest competition of the year. Competing on the national stage is no small accomplishment, and these students rose to the challenge with determination, resilience, and professionalism.

Throughout the tournament, they not only represented our team, but also our program, school, and community with grace, poise, and pride. Their hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence have made us incredibly proud.

Thank you for an unforgettable season filled with growth, achievement, and memorable moments. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for this talented group of competitors. Congratulations on an outstanding season and a remarkable National Tournament experience!

On Friday, our entire team came together to put on our end-of-the-year showcase for our community, sponsors, family, and friends. It was such a special night watching our students share everything they’ve worked so hard on this year. Every performance reflected their talent, growth, confidence, and personality, and seeing them support each other throughout the night made it even more meaningful.

There were moments that made people laugh, moments that made people emotional, and moments that left the whole room inspired. You could truly feel the passion and heart behind every performance.

Nights like this are a reminder of why we do what we do, and we’re leaving this year feeling so proud, inspired, and excited for what’s ahead next year.

Last week, we celebrated this year’s hard work by honoring our first-ever graduating seniors at our banquet and pinning ceremony! It was a special evening filled with pride, recognition, and excitement as we celebrated all that our students have accomplished and the bright futures ahead of them. We know our graduating seniors are destined for amazing things, and we can’t wait to see the impact they make in the future.

At the same time, we are excited for what’s ahead for our returning members as they continue to grow, lead, and accomplish great things in the coming year. We are so proud of each and every one of them!

Congratulations to the 2026-2027 Leadership team. These students are ready to continue the great things happening at Hendersonville Speech & Debate!

Join us on Friday May 8, 2026 in the HHS Theater as we take the stage to celebrate and showcase our year of hard work, growth, and unforgettable moments! From first-time competitors to State Champions to National Qualifiers this evening will highlight the talent, dedication, and passion that have fueled our tremendous success of this year.

Come experience not only the performances but the stories that will leave you laughing, crying, and leaving inspired!

$5 Tickets can be purchased from any current Team Member or can be bought at the door! Show time starts at 6:30!

Over the weekend the Hendersonville Speech and Debate Team finished out the 2025-2026 competition season and the THSSDL State Championship hosted at Jefferson County High School as well as the NSDA Last Chance Qualifying Tournament.

We are happy to announce that we had NINE State Finalists earning the team 2nd in Team Sweepstakes! In addition, Madelynn Osman was a quarterfinalist and HalleGrace Westbrook was a Finalist in the Last Chance Qualifying Tournament.

A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Yelena Gulbransen for being the STATE CHAMPION in Program Oral Interpretation for the second year in a row!

We would like to applaud our Junior and Senior Team members for their dedication to competing in the tournament 3 1/2 hours away and booking it back for Prom!

To celebrate all of the team’s hard work and determination this season, we spent Sunday at Dollywood!

If you see any of these amazing students, congratulate them!

If you are interested in seeing any of these performances, don’t miss our showcase on May 8th and 6:30 in the HHS Theater!

Do you like to talk, perform or aren’t afraid for your voice to be heard? If so, you should consider joining Hendersonville Speech & Debate! APPLICATIONS for the 2026-2027 season are now OPEN!

Stop by the front office or library to pick up a paper application or complete the digital application on our team website by clicking the link in our BIO! Applications are due by Thursday, May 7th.

Any upcoming 12th through 6th grade student zoned for Hendersonville High School, Hawkins Middle School or Ellis Middle School may apply!

Any questions, please reach out to any current team member or contact our Head Coach: James Bingaman @ [email protected]

Join the team that’s be rocking it since day one!

Yesterday we finished out the 2026 National Qualifying Tournament Series with the Congressional Debate section.

Congrats to Easton Campbell for winning Presiding Officer in the second session!