So far this year, five of Cleveland’s Speech and Debate students have reached the Academic All American Award. These students, coached by Patrick Gonzales, are Simone Guite, Ellie Howard, Flannery Gonzales, Felix Cohen, and Stella Greenvoss.

This makes these students part of the top 1% of the largest academic organization in the country, the National Speech and Debate Association, clocking in at a massive 140,000 members. There are several requirements to meet before getting the award, including five semesters of high school, a 3.7+ GPA, and having 750 debate points. To earn 750 points, the student must debate both well and often.