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Florida Continues to Lead the Way in Civics Education – Welcoming More Than 400 Students from Out-of-State and Across Florida to Compete in The Great Debate: The National Civics and Debate ChampionshipFlorida Continues to Lead the Way in Civics Education – Welcoming More Th

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Florida Continues to Lead the Way in Civics Education – Welcoming More Than 400 Students from Out-of-State and Across Florida to Compete in The Great Debate: The National Civics and Debate ChampionshipFlorida Continues to Lead the Way in Civics Education – Welcoming More Th


January 24, 2025

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Florida Continues to Lead the Way in Civics Education – Welcoming More Than 400 Students from Out-of-State and Across Florida to Compete in The Great Debate: The National Civics and Debate Championship

Top Five High School Overall (Hunter Hayes – 5th, Sahiti Reddy – 2nd, Oscar Rubio Flores – 1st, Grace Jackson – 3rd, Anabel Kirkland – 4th) 

Top Five Middle Overall

Top Five Middle School Overall (Aryana Sahai – 1st – Coach standing in, Nathan Moronta – 5th, Armaan Seth – 2nd, Lara Castineyra – 3rd, Sara Khial – 4th) 

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Inspiring Coach Awards

Inspiring Coach Awards, ToryAnn Stutts, K. Morgan Mousley, Kristin Potter-Oliveri

Freedom Cup Winner

Freedom Cup Winner, Erabelle Conant, Keystone Heights Jr. Sr. High School

Orlando, Fla., January 24, 2025 – This weekend, the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI) brought together 420 middle and high school students from 72 schools across Florida and out-of-state to compete in The Great Debate: Florida’s National Civics and Debate Championship (NCDC) in Orlando. FCDI was proud to name tournament champions in Impromptu Speaking, Extemporaneous Debate and Legislative Debate.

The Great Debate was held at the Rosen Centre Hotel and Lake Buena Vista High School in Orlando. Since the inaugural event in 2021, the event has grown exponentially and garnered the attention of students nationwide who want to compete. Students from schools from Texas, Oklahoma, Nevada and Florida participated in this year’s event.

“Florida is at the forefront of civics education, and we are committed to continuing to provide opportunities for students to learn about the founding principles of our great Republic,” said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. “Congratulations to the students who placed in The Great Debate competition. We’re excited to see how this initiative and this annual competition will continue to set the standard for civics education in the years to come, inspiring communities across Florida and the nation.”

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“The Great Debate continues to evolve into a transformative event for students to access the highest quality educational opportunities – a cornerstone of the Florida Education Foundation’s mission,” said Rebecca Matthews, Board Chair of the Florida Education Foundation and University of West Florida Board Member. “Through this speech and debate competition, we have an opportunity for Florida students to compete at the highest level with students from across the country.”

As a hallmark event of FCDI, The Great Debate aims to inspire middle and high school students to engage in civics activities and elevate their civic knowledge. Established in January 2019, FCDI is dedicated to advancing civics education across the state.

The Great Debate named 8 winners between middle school and high school divisions. Judges scored students in Impromptu Speaking, Extemporaneous Debate and Legislative Debate, naming a winner for each event as well as an overall champion for both age groups.

Two additional awards, the Freedom Cup Award and Inspiring Coach Awards were also given during the ceremony. The Freedom Cup honors a student who embodies what it means to be a great citizen. Nominated by their students, three inspiring coaches are also honored for inspiring their students and excelling at the craft of speech and debate.

Overall – Middle School Division

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  • Champion – Aryana Sahai, A.D. Henderson University School
  • 2nd Place – Armaan Seth, The Frazier School, Gainesville
  • 3rd Place – Lara Castineyra, Kanapaha Middle School, Gainesville
  • 4th Place – Sara Khial, Kanapaha Middle School, Gainesville
  • 5th Place – Nathan Moronta, iPrep Academy North Middle School, Miami

Overall – High School Division

  • Champion – Oscar Rubio Flores, Wildwood High School, Wildwood
  • 2nd Place – Andria Antony, Hagerty High School, Oviedo
  • 3rd Place – Grace Jackson, Hagerty High School, Oviedo
  • 4th Place – Anabel Kirkland, Lake Nona High School, Orlando
  • 5th Place – Hunter Hayes, Lake Nona High School, Orlando

Impromptu Speaking – Middle School Division

  • Champion – Josh Kim, The Frazer School, Gainesville
  • 2nd Place – Madison Lavidas, Randall Middle School, Lithia
  • 3rd Place – Breanna Kopinski, Roulhac Middle School, Chipley
  • 4th Place – Thomas Moywaywa, The Frazer School, Gainesville
  • 5th Place – Ellington Smith, Oak View Middle School, Newberry

Impromptu Speaking – High School Division

  • Champion – David Arutyunyan, FAU High School, Boca Raton
  • 2nd Place – Grace Jackson, Hagerty High School, Oviedo
  • 3rd Place – Jackson Buzzard, Broken Arrow Senior High School, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
  • 4th Place – Jordan Miranda Juarez, Wildwood High School, Wildwood
  • 5th Place – Peter Moywaya, The Frazer School, Gainesville

Extemporaneous Debate – Middle School Division

  • Champion – Aryana Sahai, A.D. Henderson University School, Boca Raton
  • 2nd Place – Nathan Moronta, iPrep Academy North Middle School, Miami
  • 3rd Place – Gage Papp, A.D. Henderson University School, Boca Raton
  • 4th Place – Lara Castineyra, Kanapaha Middle School, Gainesville
  • 5th Place – Sara Khial, Kanapaha Middle School, Gainesville

Extemporaneous Debate – High School Division

  • Champion – Noah De Haan, Tocoi Creek High School, St. Augustine
  • 2nd Place – Nicholas Ostheimer, FAU High School, Boca Raton
  • 3rd Place – Evden Tilley, Broken Arrow Senior High School, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
  • 4th Place – Elizabeth Grounds, Broken Arrow Senior High School, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
  • 5th Place – Graham Bowser, Broken Arrow Senior High School, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Legislative Debate – Middle School Division

  • Champion – Angela Ostheimer, A.D. Henderson University School, Boca Raton
  • 2nd Place – Armaan, Seth, The Frazer School, Gainesville
  • 3rd Place – Vincent Wen, The Frazer School, Gainesville
  • 4th Place – Sara Khial, Kanapaha Middle School, Gainesville
  • 5th Place – Emery Brooks, Seaside Neighborhood School, Santa Rosa Beach

Legislative Debate – High School Division

  • Champion – Hunter Hayes, Lake Nona High School, Orlando
  • 2nd Place – Sahiti Reddy, Tocoi Creek High School, St. Augustine
  • 3rd Place – Andria Antony, Hagerty High School, Oviedo
  • 4th Place – Grace M. Rivera Gonzalez, Lake Nona High School, Orlando
  • 5th Place – Samantha Faucette, Apopka High School, Apopka

Inspiring Coach Award

  • K. Morgan Mousley, Tocoi Creek High School, St. Augustine
  • Kristin Potter-Oliveri, FAU High School/A.D. Henderson University School, Boca Raton
  • ToryAnn Stutts, Orlando Science High School, Orlando

Freedom Cup Award

  • Erabelle Conant, Keystone Heights Junior/Senior High School, Keystone Heights

View a full list of winners and learn more about the NCDC at www.TheGreatDebateFL.com.

ABOUT THE FLORIDA CIVICS AND DEBATE INITIATIVE:

Florida is leading the way in strengthening civics instruction and education in Florida’s kindergarten through post-secondary schools. In 2019, the Florida Department of Education and the Florida Education Foundation established a statewide debate program that focused on civics education. The Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI) is the first of its kind to use debate specifically as a tool to enrich civics education and to have incredibly strong support from state leaders. FCDI continues to grow exponentially and will soon have debate teams in every school district in Florida.

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Florida man plows truck down Orlando road, hitting vehicles: Police

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Florida man plows truck down Orlando road, hitting vehicles: Police


A truck driver is accused of hitting a parked car and then driving off, according to Orlando police.
Rakeem Williams, 32, faces a charge of leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, according to an arrest affidavit.
Police said Williams attempted to drive down a narrow road near South Street when he hit the parked car.



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South Florida’s top deals: 5-acre dev site near the Everglades trades hands

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South Florida’s top deals: 5-acre dev site near the Everglades trades hands


🏆 Residential: The top home sale recorded in South Florida was in Pinecrest, where Ernesto and Magaly Santana parted with a 11,500-square-foot mansion at 10101 Southwest 60th Court for $13.4 million. Magaly Santana is an heiress to the Sedano’s Supermarkets fortune. The buyer was a trust tied to Alexei Y. Antipov. The home has seven bedrooms and six and a half bathrooms and sits on a 1-acre lot. It was on the market for about $15 million. Cristina Lujan of Brown Harris Stevens Miami had the listing, and Roberto Morales of Edmond Roberts LLC brought the buyer.

🏆 Commercial: The most expensive commercial deal logged in South Florida was in Miami, where a 5-acre development site at 90 Northwest 137th Avenue in Miami sold for $11.3 million. The seller was Miami-based Silver Eagle Enterprises. The buyer was a trust. The site sits within Miami-Dade County’s Urban Development Boundary, according to a listing with Avison Young.

📊 Residential: A 6,700-square-foot home at 3701 Park Avenue in Miami changed hands for $12.6 million, or nearly $1,900 per square foot. An LLC managed by Jonathan Leyva sold the property to a trust. The home, constructed last year, has six bedrooms, five full bathrooms and two half baths. Its last asking price was $13.5 million. The seller’s agent was Michael Garcia with Real Estate Sales Force. Debra Wellins with BHHS EWM Realty represented the buyer.

📊 Residential: In Miami Beach, Eli and Revital Finkelman — he is a tech entrepreneur — sold a waterfront home at 4510 Prairie Avenue for $11.5 million. The buyer was 4510 Acquisition LLC. The Finkelmans had owned the 5,600-square-foot home since 2019, when they purchased it for $7 million. The house, built in 2018, has six bedrooms and six and a half bathrooms. The sale works out to just over $2,000 per square foot. Citadel Realty’s Natalie Turetsky had the listing. Compass’ Mendel Fellig represented the buyer.

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📊 Residential: Wade Davis, vice chairman of the board at TelevisaUnivision, and Dr. Jennifer Mascarenhas, an anesthesiologist, dropped $10 million to purchase a condo at 1643 Brickell Avenue in Miami. A trust was the seller. The seven-bedroom pad has seven and a half bathrooms across 10,000 square feet. The sale breaks down to $1,000 per square foot. The unit last sold in 2022 for $12 million. It went back on the market in December 2022 for $15 million; its last asking price was just under $12 million. Compass’ Liz Hogan represented both sides of the deal.If you like this digest, you can get it even earlier — every evening — by subscribing to TRD Data, here.





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No. 5 Arkansas Clinches Super Regional Berth by Run-Ruling South Florida, 10-2

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No. 5 Arkansas Clinches Super Regional Berth by Run-Ruling South Florida, 10-2


FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Behind a pair of four-run innings, the No. 5 national seed Arkansas Razorbacks recorded their third-consecutive run-rule victory by defeating South Florida, 10-2 (6 inn.) in the 2026 Fayetteville Regional Final to clinch their fifth Super Regional appearance in program history on Sunday afternoon at Bogle Park.

With the win, Arkansas will host a Super Regional next weekend at Bogle Park against Duke (42-15). The Razorbacks previously hosted Super Regionals in 2021, 2022, and 2025. It marked the first time in program history that Arkansas went undefeated in NCAA Regional play with all wins coming by run-rule.

South Florida got out to an early 1-0 lead courtesy of Jamia Nelson hitting into a 6-4-3 double play with no outs in the top of the second inning. The Razorbacks responded with four runs in the bottom of the second courtesy of an RBI double from Atalyia Rijo and a three-run home run from Kennedy Miller. South Florida cut the Hogs’ lead to 4-2 courtesy of a leadoff solo home run from Alexa Galligani in the top of the fourth inning. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Arkansas extended its advantage to six, plating runs courtesy of an Ella McDowell double, an RBI groundout from Tianna Bell, a Dakota Kennedy single, and Karlie Davison doubling down the line in right field. Dakota Kennedy then clinched the run-rule and the Hog’ Super Regional Berth in the sixth inning with a two-run double into the left-center field gap that made it the final, 10-2.

Arkansas smashed an NCAA Tournament program record six doubles while recording 11 hits in the win. In addition to Kennedy Miller’s three-run blast, Brinli Bain paced the Hogs offensively with a 3-3 day that featured her 18th double of the season, a run scored, and a walk. Karlie Davison continued her postseason tear at the plate with a 2-3 day that featured a pair of doubles, an RBI, and a run scored. Dakota Kennedy also recorded a pair of hits in a 2-3 effort with a double and three RBI.

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Saylor Timmerman was dominant in relief, fanning four while retiring all nine batters faced to improve to 10-2 on the season. Timmerman relieved Payton Burnham, who allowed two runs on three hits and a walk in her three innings pitched.

Carley Ernst (5-5) took the loss for South Florida (44-17) after yielding four runs on four hits and a walk in 1.2 innings of work.

The Razorbacks are now 45-11 on the season with a program-record 24 run-rule victories and a 27-3 home record at Bogle Park. The Razorbacks’ 45 wins are the third-most in program history, trailing only the 1999 (46) and 2022 (48) teams.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Payton Burnham made her 17th start of the season for Arkansas, while South Florida went with sophomore right-hander Carley Ernst.

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In the top of the first inning, Tianna Bell made an impressive play at first base on a hard-hit line drive from the Bulls’ Olivia Elliot.  Burnham then issued consecutive flyouts to Reagan Johnson in center field to complete the 1-2-3 frame.

Brinli Bain doubled off the wall in center field with one out in the bottom of the first inning. South Florida second baseman Kathy Garcia-Soto then turned an unassisted double play to end the inning.

South Florida loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the second inning, courtesy of a walk and a pair of singles. The Bulls took the early 1-0 lead courtesy of Jamaia Nelson hitting into a double play. Burnham then induced a flyout to left field to end the inning with a runner stranded on third.

Karlie Davison continued her postseason tear at the plate with a double into the right-center field gap. A batter later, Atalyia Rijo tied the game with a double into the right-center field gap that plated Davison. Kailey Wyckoff drew a walk before Kennedy Miller gave Arkansas a 4-1 lead with a three-run home run to center field. Arkansas loaded the bases following Miller’s blast with a walk from Johnson, a single from Bain, and a walk from McDowell, but USF escaped with a flyout.

Rijo was the lone batter to reach base for either team in the third inning. Johnson made an impressive leaping grab on the warning track for the second out in the top half of the inning.

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In the top of the fourth inning, South Florida cut the Hogs’ lead to 4-2 courtesy of a solo home run from Alexa Galligani. Following the home run, Saylor Timmerman entered the circle in place of Burnham and retired her first three batters faced courtesy of a diving stop by Ella McDowell at third and consecutive strikeouts.

Arkansas responded with four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Johnson singled through the right side with one out, then stole second base. Bain followed with a walk, and Ella McDowell drove in Johnson with an RBI double to give Arkansas a 5-2 lead. The Hogs would add two more runs courtesy of an RBI groundout from Tianna Bell and an RBI single from Dakota Kennedy. Davison added the fourth and final run of the stanza with an RBI double down the right-field line.

Both teams were retired in order in the fifth inning as Timmerman picked up her third strikeout of the contest.

Timmerman registered another 1-2-3 frame during the top of the sixth courtesy of a groundout, strikeout, and groundout. In the bottom of the sixth, Bain collected her third hit of the contest with a single through the right side to lead off the bottom of the sixth before being pinch-run for by Kasey Wood, who would advance to second on a walk by Ella McDowell. Dakota Kennedy ended the run-rule triumph with a double into the left-center field gap that allowed both Wood and McDowell to score, making it the final 10-2.

NOTABLES

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  • With the win, Arkansas earned its fifth trip to a Super Regional in program history. Arkansas previously made appearances in 2018, 2021, 2022, and 2025 while hosting its three previous Super Regionals.
  • The Hogs’ 24th run-rule victory of the season broke the single-season program record of 23 initially set in 2025.
  • Arkansas is 308-9 when scoring eight or more runs all-time, including a 173-1 mark during the Courtney Deifel era (2016-present). The Razorbacks are on a 121-game winning streak when scoring 8+ runs. The last loss the Razorbacks had when accomplishing the feat was a 12-11 loss to Oklahoma State on Feb. 11, 2021, during the season opener at the Best on the Bayou Classic in Monroe, La.
  • Arkansas is now 27-28 all-time in NCAA Tournament play, including an 20-16 mark under head coach Courtney Deifel. The Razorbacks have now won six consecutive regional round games dating back to 2025.
  • Brinli Bain registered her 18th double of the season, which is tied for the second-most by a Razorback in program history alongside Jessica Bachkora (2010).
  • The Razorbacks 45 wins are the third-most in program history, trailing only a 46-win season in 1999 and the 2022 squad’s 48 wins. Arkansas has now eclipsed last season’s win total.
  • The Hogs’ six doubles in the win were the most during an NCAA Tournament game and tied for the second-most in any game in program history, trailing only a pair of seven-double performances against Lamar on March 4, 2017, and Missouri State on April 28, 2010.

Up Next

The Razorbacks will face the Duke Blue Devils in Super Regionals. Duke beat Arizona twice on Sunday by the scores of 8-6 and 9-4. Game times will be announced in the coming days.

For schedule updates and other news, go to ArkansasRazorbacks.com, or follow @RazorbackSB on X, Instagram and Facebook.



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