Hilltalkers from left, Minhtet Htoon, Carina Lanier, Zoe Bent and Uxue Sansinena have been recognized as Academic All-Americans by the National Speech and Debate Organization (NSDA). Courtesy/LAPS

LAPS News:

Los Alamos High School students Zoe Bent, Minhtet Htoon, Carina Lanier and Uxue Sansinena have been recognized as Academic All-Americans by the National Speech and Debate Organization (NSDA).

The Academic All-American award recognizes high school students who have earned the degree of Superior Distinction by receiving 750 NSDA points through Speech and Debate tournaments and service projects. This award also requires students to maintain a 3.7 GPA and complete five semesters of high school courses.

Junior Zoe Bent has been part of the Hilltalkers since 9th grade and has served as Congress Captain on the Hilltalkers. Uxue Sansinena is also a junior and has been part of the Speech and Debate Team since 8th grade. Uxue has served as Lincoln Douglas captain on the Hilltalkers.

Both Zoe and Uxue will be serving as part of the Executive Leadership team next year. “Joining the Hilltalkers was one of the best decisions I made,” Zoe commented on her award. “The community and camaraderie in our team truly creates an environment where everyone can feel like they belong. I feel so honored to receive such an amazing award. When I joined the team, I never would have expected to make it so far, yet I feel that the journey has been just as important as the destination.”

Uxue added, “The Speech and Debate team has played an indispensable role in shaping my growth and development over these past four years. This organization has given me a platform to learn about the world around me and articulate my views in a way I never would have thought possible. I am deeply honored and grateful to receive this award as, to me, it symbolizes more than just our commitment to the team. It represents a recognition of the importance of embracing diverse perspectives and a dedication to broadening our knowledge and understanding of the world.”

Minhtet and Carina are recent LAHS graduates and are looking forward to using their Speech and Debate skills in college. An accepted student at Arizona State University (ASU), Barrett Honors College, Carina will be studying at ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. Minhtet Htoon will study Materials Science and Engineering at The University of California, Irvine.

All four students will be competing at the National Speech and Debate Tournament this month in Des Moines, Iowa.