Junior Elliott Burchett placed fifth in the “Storytelling” category of the MSHSAA State Speech and Debate Championships, April 23, earning a spot as a state medalist.

“I was shocked when I placed fifth. This was a category I’ve never done before. I didn’t expect to be placed so high. I just wanted to try something new. In the end I had a lot of fun with the storytelling,” Burchett said.

Because district mandates and restrictions on Burchett’s other activities like choir and music put things on hold, Burchett began to put more time into Speech and Debate during his at-home studies.

“I was really excited to see our team’s work pay off in terms of community and making it so far up the ladder during the championships,” Burchett said.

In his storytelling piece, Burchett told the story of Mrs. Beggs and the mystical happenings of a mysterious new guest named Mr. Alabasium, who calls himself a “wizard extraordinaire.” During his stay, he throws her boarding house into all sorts of disarray and chaos with magic.

“I had so much fun performing this. I just let loose with the story I wanted to tell, and I enjoyed every moment of it,” Burchett said.