Marshall High School sophomore Brianna Carillo practices her oral interpretation piece ahead of the 100th National Speech and Debate Association tournament. (Photos courtesy of MHS Speech & Debate Coach Paul Gieringer)

In her first year with the Marshall High School speech and debate program, sophomore Brianna Carillo has joined elite company as one of two Owls that have qualified for the 100th National Speech and Debate Association tournament.

Carillo will represent Marshall at next week’s tournament in Des Moines, competing in oral interpretation. She tells KMMO News that the competition has her telling a story, piecing it together from multiple sources.

Carillo says as Marshall’s first-ever national competitor in oral interpretation, she looks forward to showing future members of the program how to prepare for and compete in the contest.

Carillo will join Michelle Lin at the 100th National Speech and Debate Association tournament that begins Sunday in Des Moines. They’re the first students from Marshall to qualify for nationals in 18 years, and bring total number of qualifiers in the program’s history to 25.