Hilltalkers team members and National Qualifiers, back row from left, Tevi Funaki, Lilia Keller-Moore, Matthea Fung, Emily Xu, Suchir Jha, Uxue Sansinena, Erin Brodnax, Zoe Bent, front row from left, Cameron Dale, Sean Lo, Lin Wolf, and Coach Donald Poston. Photo by Lin Wolf
Youth and Government competitors Eva Gerber and Maia Warren. Not pictured Ian Corey). Photo by Lin Wolf
By LIN WOLF
LAHS Hilltalkers
The Los Alamos High School (LAHS) Hilltalkers Speech and Debate team is all buckled up for a Reading Road Trip for the summer. In order to fund their summer travel to the National Speech and Debate National Tournament, the Youth and Government National Judicial Conference, and the Youth and Government Council on National Affairs, and for expenses for the 2025-2026 school year, the entire Hilltalker team have pledged to read for five hours each starting May 30 until July 30.
Each of those 40 Hilltalkers has set a goal to raise $100 for each five-hour segment that they read or $20 per hour read.
The Hilltalkers Booster Board and Los Alamos Public Schools subsidizes approximately 50% of the cost to support Hilltalkers who compete in Model UN, Speech and Debate, and Youth and Government. In order to continue subsidizing the program for all students, the Hilltalkers need to raise $4000 for competition fees, resources, hiring judges, and outside coaches.
Donations are accepted at this link.
The Hilltalkers team chose the theme of a Reading Road Trip for their readathon to show their support for the Hilltalkers who will be traveling to national competitions and conferences this summer. Seven Hilltalkers are Nationals-bound on June 14 to Des Moines, IA for the National Speech and Debate National Tournament and four Hilltalkers will be traveling to national conferences for the Central New Mexico YMCA Youth and Government program.
After multiple competitive tournaments this spring and a tough qualification at the New Mexico District National Qualifying tournament, the Hilltalkers are bringing seven competitors to Des Moines, Iowa for the 100th National Speech and Debate Association National Tournament. Coach Donald Poston stated, “We are overwhelmingly proud of these seven competitors’ accomplishments”.
The following Hilltalkers will be competing in the following events: Uxue Sansinena and Erin Brodnax, World Schools Debate; Zoe Bent, Congressional Debate; Tevita Funaki, Program Oral Interpretation; Lin Wolf, Humorous Interpretation, and Emily Xu and Suchir Jha in Duo Interpretation.
At the New Mexico District National Qualifying tournament in April, Hilltalker Uxue Sansinena was honored with the 2025 National Speech and Debate District Student of the year award. A four year qualifier to the National Tournament, Sansinena has held multiple leadership positions in the Hilltalkers.
According to coach Margo Batha, “As a leader, Uxue is a team player who is also unafraid to take the initiative and seek consensus when needed and she is passionate about serving her community and bettering the community for all. She exemplifies all of the qualities of the National Speech and Debate Association honor code.”
Hilltalkers Cameron Dale, Matthea Fung, Sean Lo, and Lilia Keller-Moore also competed credibly at the National Qualifying tournament. Hilltalkers coach, Donald Poston, was pleased by these students' performances. “All of these Hilltalkers have enormous potential and I’m looking forward to seeing what they do next year”, he said.
In addition to National Speech and Debate Association events, four Hilltalkers will also travel for the New Mexico Youth and Government program. In April, 14 Hilltalkers participated in the New Mexico Youth and Government Conference at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Of the 14 Hilltalkers who participated in the Conference, students Ian Corey, Eva Gerber, and Maia Warren were selected in a competitive process to represent New Mexico at the National Judicial Conference in Minneapolis in June. Additionally, seniors Ian Corey and Eva Gerber were selected to attend the Council on National Affairs in June.
In addition to the National Qualifying tournament, the Hilltalkers also competed in New Mexico’s state competition in February with an excellent showing. The following Hilltalkers placed in the New Mexico State Championship. Zoe Bent, 1st place House Congressional Debate; Uxue Sansinena, 3rd place House Congressional Debate; Tevi Funaki, 1st place Program Oral Interpretation; Morgan DeWitt, 6th place Program Oral Interpretation; Lin Wolf, 3rd place Humorous Interpretation; Suchir Jha and Emily Xu, 5th place Duo Interpretation; Amelia Doljesi and Julia Zhou, 2nd place Duo Interpretation, and Lucia Rudin, 2nd place Dramatic Interpretation. For the tenth year in a row, the Hilltalkers were recognized as a New Mexico School of Excellence in Speech and Debate.
The Hilltalkers would be grateful for any level of support so that student costs for travel remain affordable for families. Please donate at this link Please donate on SignUp Genius to support the Hilltalkers at this link. The Hilltalkers are a registered 501c3 organization and your donations are tax deductible.
Financial support for the Hilltalkers for all of their programs is always needed and appreciated, especially for travel to these national tournaments and conferences as well as upcoming expenses for the upcoming competition year.
2025 New Mexico District Student of the Year, Uxue Sansinena. Photo by Lin Wolf