Upper St. Clair Township

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Upper St. Clair Speech & Debate Team Honored by Commissioners

Commissioner Pamela L. Enck congratulated the Upper St. Clair High School Speech & Debate team on May 1, 2023, at the Board of Commissioners meeting for winning the Pennsylvania High School Speech League (PHSSL) State Championship on March 16, 2023. This marks the team’s fourth state title since 2017. The tournament was held at Bloomsburg University.

Coach Ben Edwards, along with six of the students on the team, were present at the meeting to accept the honor.

“Young people who participate in speech and debate are leaders,” said Commissioner Enck. “You all worked very hard to accomplish this, and on behalf of the Board of Commissioners and the entire Township, I congratulate you all on an outstanding and historic season.”

“This team is up there for the most successful teams we have ever had,” said coach Edwards. “It is amazing to watch these students grow up, and I want to say thank you to them for being such a great team. I’m proud of them.”

Upper St. Clair earned 600.5 points while competing in the large school division at the State Championship. North Allegheny Senior High School finished second with 519.5 points and Pennsbury High School was third with 348 points. Upper St. Clair took top honors in Speech Sweepstakes and second in Debate Sweepstakes.

Individually, senior Nitin Chandran finished first in Extemporaneous. With three other classmates, Cameron Weber, Matthew Hrehocik and Ishaan Sharma, ranking in the top six, this marks the first time in PHSSL State history where four finalists in an event were from the same school.

The USC High School Speech & Debate Team is coached by Edwards and his colleague at Upper St. Clair High School, Dave Watson.