6 Students Named as NSDA Academic All-Americans
Posted on 05/17/2019
Grapevine High School seniors Ruth Schlenker, Dilan Shah, Hayley Smyth, Micah Thode, Bronson Zhou and junior, Nidhish Nerur were all named National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) Academic All-Americans. The National Speech and Debate Association has over 141,000 student members. Fewer than 1,000 students from across the nation earn the Academic All-American award each year.  

 “This is a special group of debaters,” said debate director and coach Jane Boyd. “ Six Academic All Americans at one time is unusual and this is a first for Grapevine High School.  In GHS NSDA chapter history, we have sixteen Academic All Americans and six are from this year alone. These are not just some of our best students this year, but they are some of the best students of all-time. I am so proud of their hard work and appreciate their dedication to speech and debate so much.”

This award recognizes students who have completed at least five semesters of high school, earned 750 merit points to gain superior distinction in the NSDA honor society, achieved at least a 3.7 GPA and received outstanding SAT/ACT scores while demonstrating outstanding character and leadership.

“Speech and Debate has tremendously improved my public speaking skills and helped me make friends throughout the nation," said student Nidhish Nerur. "Being name Academic All-American just shows how debate has had an enormous impact on my life and taught me valuable skills I will use forever."

Left to right: Ruth Schlenker, Nidhish Nerur, Micah Thode, Dilan Shah, Hayley Smyth and Principal David Denning (not pictured Bronson Zhou)