Three more students place at Spring Academic Meet

May 27, 2009 — A pair of Cypress Falls High School students and a Cypress Woods High School student placed in the top three at the UIL Spring Academic Meet this weekend in Austin.

Cypress Falls seniors Sara Meghji and Saif Kazim placed first and third, respectively, in the Lincoln Douglas Debate competition. Meghji and Kazim both advanced to the semifinal round, where they were forced to debate one another. Judges gave Meghji the win by a 2-1 vote, after which she went on to defeat a student from Clear Lake High School in the final round.

“I feel like Saif and Sara are both state champions. I am so proud of both of them,” said Debbie Waddell, Cypress Falls speech and debate coach. “They work well together and always support each other. Having two students advance to the state tournament is an honor and having them both place is quite an achievement.” 

Meghji and Kazim will debate again this summer at the 2009 National Speech and Debate Tournament in Birmingham, Ala.

Cypress Woods junior Sophia Nguyen placed second in the Literary Criticism competition in her second year to advance to state in the event. She missed placing first by only one point on what Literary Criticism coach Traci Underwood called “an extremely challenging test.”

“Sophia is an outstanding student who has been a joy for me to work with on this event the past three years,” Underwood said. “If I know Sophia, this near-miss will only inspire her to work harder next year to bring home the state championship.”