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Granite City Today
By the People, for the People
Granite City High Speech Team Advances to State Tournament
The school's speech team qualified for the Illinois High School Association State Tournament in Peoria.
Published on Feb. 17, 2026
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Granite City High School's speech team has qualified for the Illinois High School Association State Tournament, scheduled for February 20-21, 2026 in Peoria. The district congratulated the team on its state qualification and highlighted individual and group results from the qualifying round, including state qualifiers in extemporaneous speaking, impromptu speaking, and 'Performance in the Round'.
Why it matters
Qualifying for the state speech tournament is a significant achievement for Granite City High School, showcasing the talent and hard work of its speech team members. Speech competitions provide valuable experience for students in public speaking, critical thinking, and teamwork, skills that are essential for future success.
The details
The Granite City High School speech team qualified for the Illinois High School Association State Tournament after strong performances in the qualifying round. Bug Wise placed second in extemporaneous speaking and third in impromptu speaking. The 'Performance in the Round' team, consisting of 15 students, placed third and also qualified for the state tournament.
- The Illinois High School Association State Tournament is scheduled for February 20-21, 2026.
- The Granite City High School speech team qualified for the state tournament during the qualifying round.
The players
Bug Wise
A Granite City High School student who qualified for the state tournament in extemporaneous speaking and impromptu speaking.
Landon Phillips, Mackenzie Garcia, Khloe Nicol, Jesus Atilano, Hailey Jensen, Lily Booker, Gabriela Gutierrez, Brooke Babillis, Peyton Shipley, Carleigh Graham, Delaynie Carnahan, Madyson Talley, Kaniyah Hunter, Lily Kupinski, Ava Ghirardi
Members of the Granite City High School 'Performance in the Round' team that qualified for the state tournament.
Granite City School District #9
The school district that congratulated the Granite City High School speech team on their state qualification and highlighted their individual and group results.
What’s next
The Granite City High School speech team will compete in the Illinois High School Association State Tournament on February 20-21, 2026 in Peoria.
The takeaway
The Granite City High School speech team's qualification for the state tournament is a testament to the dedication and talent of its members. This achievement highlights the importance of speech and debate programs in providing students with valuable skills for their future success.
