BHS senior named Speech & Debate Academic All-American

Burnsville High School senior Feven Tesfaye was recently named an Academic All-American by the National Speech & Debate Association. This award recognizes academic rigor, competitive speech and debate success, and personal excellence.

This honor is awarded annually to less than one percent of the more than 141,000 student members of the National Speech & Debate Association. It recognizes students who have completed at least five semesters of high school, earned the degree of Superior Distinction in the association’s Honor Society, met GPA and/or test score requirements, and demonstrated outstanding character and leadership. 

“I want to credit all my achievements to my coach, Brendan Klein, who's been one of the most influential people in my life. His supportive nature encourages anyone – myself included – to challenge themselves and grow as young, strong leaders, and we wouldn't see the success we do without him,” Tesfaye said. “I'm very happy to see that my achievements, not only in school but in speech, an activity I love and dedicate a lot of my time to, be recognized.”

Tesfaye is a team captain and has participated in speech and debate all four years at BHS. She has earned all-conference honors, reached the finals at numerous in-state competitions and competed at the National Tournament of Champions last May in Kansas City. 

“Speech and debate has been the most impactful activity that I've done in high school,” Tesfaye said. “I was never in any sports or extracurricular activities when I was younger, so when I first heard about speech and debate in 9th grade, I was slightly apprehensive. Still, after I joined, it not only encouraged my personal growth in a matter of months, as I became more confident, but also motivated me to speak up about issues I once was scared to.”