Following a grueling weekend of speech and debate competition in late June, 10 students of Sacred Heart Intermediate School in Kingston boarded Boston-bound flight home beaming from ear to ear and carrying quite a bit more luggage. The team steam-rolled their way through the National Junior Forensic League National (NJFL) Championship Tournament in Houston, Texas and walked away with 26 trophies.

The NJFL National Tournament was the culmination of the student’s 2003-2004 competitive inter-scholastic schedule. The Sacred Heart students competed in several categories among them; Lincoln-Douglas Debate, extemporaneous speaking, storytelling, humorous interpretation, impromptu speaking, poetry interpretation, dramatic-duo and prose interpretation. The Sacred Heart team as a whole drew a great deal of attention at the competition for their overall success. They earned three team trophies, and are ranked third in the nation. At the close of the NJFL Tournament the Sacred Heart team was presented with trophies for Team Excellence in Debate, Team Excellence in Individual Events and Sweepstakes.

The students were accompanied to Texas by their coach Beena Koshy, Sacred Heart Intermediate School director Anne Marie League and parent chaperones Lynn Newell, Patty Kelliher and Andrew Jamison. Sophomore Elizabeth Duquette of Plymouth traveled with the team as a line judge.

In June 2005, the National Junior Forensic League National Tournament will be held in Plymouth and hosted by Sacred Heart High School.