Max Schuelke Qualifies for National Debate Tournament

Max Schuelke, a member of the MHS debate team, has punched his ticket to the National Speech and Debate Championship. The tournament will be held June 16-21 in Des Moines, Iowa. Schuelke will be one of the two U.S . Extemp debaters representing the Northern District of South Dakota. Over 6000 students from over 2000 schools across the nation will compete in various events.

Schuelke secured his berth during the Northern South Dakota District Debate Tournament, also known as Quals, held in Harrisburg on February 16-17. Kathy Tyler, head coach for MHS, explained. “South Dakota debate is divided into two districts – Northern and Rushmore. Aberdeen, Brookings, Watertown, Lennox, Mitchell, Milbank, and Huron make up the Northern District. Schools in the southern and western part of the state complete the Rushmore District.”

Schuelke placed third in US Extemp. Because the first-place winner had qualified in another event, Max received a qualifying bid for Nationals. During the Lincoln-Douglas competition, Schuelke moved into the finals round of a double-elimination bracket and placed fifth.

Each school is eligible to enter up to four varsity teams or participants in each event. Milbank was represented by the duos of Shane Spiering and Trixie Coalter, Dana Chan and Charlotte Street, and Keira Steffen and Taylor Hallquist in Public Forum. Coalter also competed in Program Oral Interp. Spiering and Schuelke entered Extemp. Schuelke and Bri Hicks performed in Lincoln-Douglas, and Hicks and Chan competed in Informative Oratory.

What’s next? Milbank will travel to Watertown on March 2-3 for the 2024 South Dakota State A Debate Tournament. MHS debate coaches include Tyler, assistant coach Miriah Hicks, and IE coach Sandy Christensen.