On March 2 at Southport High School, the Spanish team participated in its annual academic competition.

Spanish teacher Mrs. Rose Egan shared her thoughts on this year’s team. She wrote in an email, “I am always amazed at how our students come together to make our Spanish team successful.”

Egan noted how students who are involved in other activities still manage to show dedication to the Spanish team. “No matter what weekend the competition is on, it is always a conflict with other events like speech meets, music competitions and sporting events. We even had some students who either came to the Spanish competition after a sporting event or left the competition after their Spanish event to go to a sporting event.

“We had some students who filled in spots at the last minute and students who were hesitant about doing an event but came out with ribbons,” she said.  

Although this year’s Spanish team competition has taken place, Egan is already looking forward to next year. She said, “Students seemed to be excited and energized at the competition. Some were even talking about what events they want to do next year. I hope this year’s Spanish team is proud of and has increased confidence about their Spanish-speaking abilities, and I hope that enthusiasm will help us have another successful team next year.”

Cathedral students who placed, along with their competition categories, are listed.

First place: Sophomore Joe Egan, Grammar, Spanish I; senior Jack Hutchens, Spanish III/Advanced Skit; senior Anabel Konesco, Spanish III/Advanced Skit; sophomore Isaac Michael, Impromptu Speaking, Spanish II; senior Elizabeth Murphy, Spanish III/Advanced Skit; junior Anya Neumeister, Non-stop Conversation, Spanish IV/Advanced; junior Katie Rushka, Spanish III/Advanced Skit; junior Natalie Schorr, Impromptu Speaking, Spanish IV/Advanced, Non-stop Conversation, Spanish IV/Advanced; junior Jair Zenil, Grammar, Heritage

Second place: Junior Lindsey Douglas, Piñata; Egan, Vocabulary, Spanish II; Neumeister, Scrambled Sentences, Spanish IV/Advanced; sophomore Levi Wojtalik, Scrambled Sentences, Spanish III; Jair Zenil, Non-stop Conversation, Heritage speaker; freshman Josh Zenil, Non-stop Conversation, Heritage speaker

Third place: Sophomore Abygail Dravis, Grammar, Spanish III, Non-stop Conversation, Spanish III; sophomore Yinny Lim, Scrambled Sentences, Spanish III, Non-stop Conversation, Spanish III; Michael, Scrambled Sentences, Spanish II; Neumeister, Impromptu Speaking, Spanish IV/Advanced; Jair Zenil, Impromptu Speaking, Heritage; Josh Zenil, Spelling Bee, Heritage speaker

Fourth place: Junior Taryn Buford, Poster; junior Nyah Conway, Impromptu Speaking, Spanish IV/Advanced; Egan, Toro Trivia team; junior Clara Isaac, Recitation, Spanish III/Advanced; senior Rachel Leighton, Toro Trivia team; Rushka, Toro Trivia team; junior Izzy Sweeney, Toro Trivia team; freshman Quinn Sweeney, Toro Trivia team; Wojtalik, Vocabulary, Spanish III, Grammar, Spanish III

Fifth place: Dravis, Scrambled Sentences, Spanish III; Lim, Recitation, Spanish III/Advanced; Michael, Grammar, Spanish II; Schorr, Vocabulary, Spanish IV/Advanced; Josh Zenil, Grammar, Heritage