The Bigfork High School Speech and Debate team has once again proved that a small school can make a massive noise on the world stage. Returning home after an exhausting, exhilarating week of competition against 7,796 students from across the nation and around the globe, the Vikings are celebrating a historic run at the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) National Tournament.
Through a week filled with very early mornings, late nights, sudden room changes, and the organized chaos that comes with a tournament of this massive scale, Bigfork’s four national qualifiers represented their community with sheer determination, resilience, and class.
Making School History – Headline performances came from rising senior Brody Henion, a two-time State Champion, and rising junior Micah Butler, a first-time state champion, both of whom cemented their legacies in the Bigfork forensics program.
Henion delivered a masterclass in comedic timing, becoming the first-ever Bigfork High School semifinalist in Humorous Interpretation. Standing on the shoulders of his national appearance in Dramatic Interpretation last year, Henion advanced all the way to 14th overall in the nation.
Beyond the immediate glory of a top-15 finish, Henion’s spectacular run carries a massive bonus for his upcoming senior year: it automatically punches his ticket to next year’s NSDA National Tournament in Phoenix, Arizona.
Meanwhile, Micah Butler continued an outstanding multi-year run on the national stage. Building on last year’s performance as a national semifinalist in Storytelling, Butler advanced to the Top 60 in Program Oral Interpretation (POI) this year while also competing in Storytelling, proving once again to be one of the most versatile performers in the field.
A Total Team Effort- The future of the program remains incredibly bright, as soon-to-be senior Olivia Close, a three-time State Champion, proudly represented Bigfork across two grueling events, Informative Speaking and Prose Interpretation. Notably, breaking into the top 30% of the entire nation in Informative Speaking during her very first year of competing in the event is an extraordinary, rare feat that highlights her rapid ascent as a top-tier speaker.
The tournament also marked a bittersweet farewell to recently graduated senior Madeline Pomeroy, who capped off her absolute stellar high school career by competing against the nation’s best in Poetry. Throughout her years with the program, Pomeroy’s high school career included many first-place finishes across multiple events, but her impact stretched far beyond the trophy case. As Team Captain, Pomeroy’s leadership whether mentoring underclassmen or helping run extra practice sessions, her selflessness set the standard for what it means to be a Bigfork Viking.
Looking Ahead to Phoenix – With a historic season officially in the books, the Vikings already have their sights set on the future. Armed with veteran talent, invaluable national experience, and an automatic spot on the roster for Henion, Bigfork expects to blast through even more of the competition next year in the Arizona desert.
I couldn’t be prouder of these four competitors. Through all the pressure and the chaotic schedule of a world-class tournament, they competed with absolute class.
