The Kodiak High School Shakesbears concluded one of the most successful seasons in program history with a record-setting performance at the 2026 National Speech & Debate Tournament in Richmond, Virginia, where more than 7,000 students representing roughly 1,500 schools gathered for what the National Speech & Debate Association calls the largest academic competition in the world. From June 14 to 19, the six-day tournament brought together the nation’s top qualifiers to compete in speech and debate events after earning bids through highly competitive district tournaments.
Leading the team was junior Christina Berestoff, who advanced through preliminary competition into octofinals and then quarterfinals in Prose Interpretation, becoming the deepest-finishing Alaskan ever in a national Interpretation event. Berestoff had previously made history last year as the only Alaskan competitor to advance beyond preliminary rounds, reaching octofinals.
“This was an extraordinary accomplishment,” said coach Jared Griffin. “Breaking to elimination rounds at Nationals is incredibly difficult. Christina has now done it in consecutive years, and this year’s quarterfinal finish sets a new benchmark for Alaska’s young actors.”
The Shakesbears qualified four students to Nationals:
- Kylie Eaton (11) competed in Program Oral Interpretation with a performance exploring the burdens of motherhood and in Storytelling with The Scar, about a child processing the loss of a parent. This marked Eaton’s third career National Tournament qualification, more than any other Alaskan competitor.
- Christina Berestoff (11) competed in Humorous Interpretation with Ruthless and in Prose Interpretation with a humorous selection by Jenny Lawson about discovering her pharmacist eating dog food. This was Berestoff’s second national qualification.
- Holly Olsen (11) made her Nationals debut in Storytelling with Molly Lou Melon and Prose Interpretation featuring another Jenny Lawson piece centered on passive-aggressive Post-it notes left for her husband.
- Ronan Hinman (12) concluded his high school career competing in Expository Speaking with a speech examining the effects of scalping in hobby card games such as Pokémon and in Storytelling with Bumblebee Boy.
Beyond competition, the team immersed themselves in Virginia’s history and culture. Students explored the renowned collections of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, including one of the nation’s premier American art collections, and spent an afternoon at Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, reflecting on both the achievements and contradictions of America’s colonial past.
Olsen said the experience extended well beyond the competition. “I liked meeting so many people outside of Alaska. Being in such a uniquely different environment for the first time was totally bizarre and exciting. I loved being around so many young actors and listening to their performances. I learned a lot about the outcome of hard work and it truly showed at the tournament.”
For Eaton, attending Nationals for a third consecutive year reinforced lessons extending far beyond speech competition. “Having the opportunity to go to Nats three years in a row is so incredible, and has truly enabled me to find confidence in pursuing challenges that seem larger than myself—even outside of DDF and public speaking. Seeing like-minded students in the nation speak from their heart about issues they care about, in an eloquent format and fair environment, is an experience I will continuously pull from in my interactions here at home. Seeing national-grade performances all week from peers your own age really sparks something in yourself.”
The National Tournament capped another outstanding year for the Kodiak High School program. The Shakesbears finished the 2025–26 season ranked No. 2 in Alaska, behind only West High School in Anchorage.
Individually, Eaton concludes the season ranked No. 19 overall statewide, Hinman No. 22, and Berestoff No. 27.
Several competitors also finished among Alaska’s leaders in individual events:
- Christina Berestoff: No. 1 in Prose Interpretation; No. 2 in Humorous Interpretation.
- Kylie Eaton: No. 1 in Program Oral Interpretation; No. 4 in Dramatic Interpretation; No. 6 in Duo Interpretation; No. 8 in Storytelling.
- Holly Olsen: No. 2 in Prose Interpretation; No. 4 in Storytelling.
- Ronan Hinman: Graduates as No. 1 in Storytelling, No. 2 in Expository Speaking, No. 3 in Prose Interpretation, and No. 4 in Humorous Interpretation.
With another historic Nationals performance and one of the strongest returning classes in program history, the Shakesbears look poised to continue building on their reputation as one of Alaska’s premier speech and drama programs.
The Shakesbears would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the many individuals, businesses, and organizations throughout Kodiak who supported this year’s trip to Nationals through donations, sponsorships, and attendance at fundraising performances. Community support made it possible for these students to represent both Kodiak and Alaska on the national stage.
The team will continue fundraising throughout the summer with additional community performances to help offset travel expenses and prepare for another exciting season. Audiences can also look forward to the Shakesbears’ fall production of Peter and the Starcatcher, the imaginative, Tony Award-winning prequel to Peter Pan.
Christina Berestoff, resting outside after a grueling day of competition rounds. (photo: Jared Griffin)
(left to right) Holly Olsen, Kylie Eaton, Christina Berestoff and Ronan Hinman