On April 17- 18, 2026, our HCISD middle school Speech, Drama, and Debate teams competed at Dr. Cano Freshman Academy in the Texas Middle School State Tournament against 23 schools and 313 competitors.
A special congratulations to the following students:
Coakley Middle School
Semi-Finalists (Top 12 in the State)
Program Oral Interpretation
Rose Pereda
Alayna Saenz
Extemporaneous Speaking
Victoria Silva
Finalists (Top 6 in the State)
Duet Improvisation
Jacob Garza and Rose Pereda, 5th Place
Prose
Rose Pereda – 6th Place
Storytelling
Rose Pereda – 6th Place
Gutierrez Middle School of Arts & Sciences
Gutierrez Middle School had 7 State Champions and placed 2nd Place Overall Team Sweepstakes – a first in team history.
Overall Individual Sweepstakes, 1st Place
Lauren Elliott
Overall Individual Sweepstakes, 5th Place
Charlie Strohmeyer
DECLAMATION
Leah Domar, 1st Place – State Champion
Audrey Alanis, 4th Place
DRAMATIC INTERPRETATION
Lauren Elliott, 1st Place – State Champion
Charlie Strohmeyer, 3rd Place
Javier Alcala, Semifinalist
Clarissa Arce, Semifinalist
DUET IMPROVISATION
Yaretzi Carrasco and Violet Carrasco, 1st Place – State Champions
DUO INTERPRETATION
Anasofia Corrales & Javier Alcala, 2nd Place
Lauren Elliott & Vesper Garza, 3rd Place
Martha Santa Ana & Ayden Sosa, 6th Place
Evaline Hirst & Lea Domar, Semifinalist
EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING
Charlie Strohmeyer, 4th Place
Bella Cruz, Semifinalist
HUMOROUS INTERPRETATION
Evaline Hirst, 5th Place
Anasofia Corrales, 6th Place
Christian Corrales, Semifinalist
Leah Domar, Semifinalist
IMPROMPTU SPEAKING
Ruby Ibarra, 6th Place
Yaretzi Carrasco, Semifinalist
INFORMATIVE SPEAKING
Magdalene Young, 6th Place
Ruby Ibarra, Semifinalist
ORIGINAL ORATORY
Magdalene Young, 5th Place
ORIGINAL SPOKEN WORD POETRY
Anasofia Corrales, 4th Place
Yaretzi Carrasco, 6th Place
Bella Cruz, Semifinalist
POETRY INTERPRETATION
Christian Corrales, 1st Place – State Champion
Alessa Galvan, 3rd Place
Kason Castilleja, 4th Place
Clarissa Arce, 5th Place
Daniella Martinez, Semifinalist
Danika Gutierrez, Semifinalist
PROGRAM ORAL INTERPRETATION
Lauren Elliott, 1st Place – State Champion (Back-to-Back)
Alessa Galvan, 2nd Place
Javier Alcala, 4th Place
Ayden Sosa, Semifinalist
PROSE
Charlie Strohmeyer, 1st Place – State Champion
Kason Castilleja, 2nd Place
Christian Corrales, 4th Place
Evaline Hirst, 5th Place
Emma Ybarra, Semifinalist
STORYTELLING
Lauren Elliott, 2nd Place
Ayden Sosa, 3rd Place
Emma Ybarra, Semifinalist
Magdalene Young, Semifinalist
Audrey Alanis, Semifinalist
Vela Middle School
Duet Interpretation (Top 12 in State)
Leonel Huerta
Ava Wilborn-Nieto
Vernon Middle School World Languages Academy
Semifinalists (Top 12 in the State)
Yvanna Andrade (8th Grade)
Declamation
Duet Improvisation
Program Oral Interpretation
Naya Garza (8th Grade)
Dramatic Interpretation
Duet Improvisation
Storytelling
Lea Martinez (8th Grade)
Impromptu
Poetry
Prose
Memorial Middle School
Semifinalists (Top 12 in the State)
Program Oral Interpretation
Lilliana De Los Santos
Declamation
Navi Carrillo
Pearl Jennings
Original Oratory (Harlingen School of Health Professions)
Zenie Jarrett
Poetry
Cielo Acuna
Finalists (Top 6 in the State)
Poetry
Diego Sanchez, 6th Place
