State runner-up team to appear at DDF Community Showcase

Skagway High School’s state-runner-up Drama Debate and Forensic s team will get another chance to shine on Thursday, April 2, when they will be featured at the Community Showcase on the Days of 98 stage.

At the event, the students will be performing Reader Theater, Duo Interpretation of Literature, as well as several other pieces of work. A bake sale will also be held to help raise funds for the team to attend the national DDF tournament and upcoming summer camps.

The SHS squad, which is coached by Kent Fielding, recently placed second in the Division II Overall Sweepstakes at the 2026 ASAA/First National Bank Alaska DDF State Championships in Anchorage. The team, which was led by Lina Hischer, rolled up 18 points and finished behind Sitka in the final team standings. Haines was third with 16. West Anchorage edged out Juneau for the top spot in the Division I (large school) division.

Skagway did well in both the Drama and Forensics events at the state meet, which was held Feb. 26-28 at East High School. They finished second to Sitka in the Division II Forensics competition, and tied Seward for third in the Debate portion.

Individually, Skagway did exceptionally well at the state meet, placing in the top 10 in four events.

Hischer was among four finalists in the Original Oratory competition. In the finals, she finished second overall. Katrina Nelson of West Anchorage won the event.

By placing second, Hischer earned a spot in the upcming national DDF tournament this summer.

Hischer also teamed with Mina Yee to third in the Duo Interpretation standings. Haines’ Maddox Rogers and Bugg Hunter finished second, while Francis Myers and Reagean Winegard of Sitka won the event.

Kaylee Salazar also did well for the SHS squad, She was fourth in the Pantomime standings.

Hischer and Yee also helped lead the Panthers’ Readers Theater group to a seventh-place finish at state. The two were joined in the troupe by Luna Hischer, Maria Hoggan and Samuel Munson.

The 2026 National Speech & Debate Tournament will be held June 14-19 in Richmond, VA.