Media Release

(EL DORADO, CALIFORNIA) June 23, 2022 — Giavanna Chopra, a junior at Pacific Crest Academy who debates for Oak Ridge High School, won the National Speech and Debate Association online Congressional Debate National Championship held June 2-4.

Chopra researched and prepared speeches for 20 legislative bills for debate ranging in topics from postal banking services, international sanctions, to green energy subsidies.

“I have learned about an incredible range of complex topics from debate this year,” Chopra said. “Ending my first Congressional season with a national win is incredibly exciting.”

Winning the national championship is especially remarkable considering Chopra started competing in Congressional Debate this school year.

Last fall Chopra won four regional competitions and this spring, she placed 7th in the California State Championships. In May she won a tournament to qualify for nationals.

At Pacific Crest Academy, Chopra maintains an academic GPA of 4.5 and she serves as student body president. She created the school’s Service League and has earned more than 50 college course units. Chopra anticipates expanding the Oak Ridge Congress team next year and will serve as debate captain, a role in which she will continue to mentor novice students and teach debate to local middle school students.

Chopra’s success is the highlight of a banner year for Oak Ridge speech and debate. Three students — Arnav Arjula, Tarika Kahlon and Garima Penumechchu — qualified and competed at NCFL Nationals in Washington, D.C., over Memorial Day weekend. In addition, Arjula, Kahlon and Penumechchu, along with Mahee Haswani and Lauryn Sumimoto, competed at the in-person NSDA National Tournament last week.