GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (GRPS) – The GRPS Speech Team delivered an outstanding performance at the 2026 Michigan Speech State Finals, earning two state championships and multiple top finishes against the best competitors from across the state.
Leading the way were two individual state champions: Colette Crowley, who captured the Oratory title, and Krishna Mano, who won the championship in Extemporaneous Speaking.
In addition to the state titles, three other GRPS scholars brought home trophies:
- Varun Vijay placed 4th in Oratory (9/10 division)
- Eli Hajjar earned 5th place in Extemporaneous Speaking
- Ayan Shukla finished 6th in Prose (9/10 division)
Altogether, 13 GRPS scholars qualified for and competed at the State Finals. Qualifying for the state competition is itself a significant achievement, requiring consistent excellence throughout the season.
The Michigan Speech State Finals, hosted by the Michigan Interscholastic Forensics Association, took place April 24-25 at Eastern Michigan University.
GRPS’s speech and debate program is led by longtime coach William Harris, a two-diamond National Speech & Debate Association coach who has dedicated more than 30 years of service to the district.