The Arkansas Communication & Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) is pleased to announce the 2026 All-State Speech & Debate students from 2025-2026 competition season.

These students finished in the top of their field in Arkansas’ 25+ speech and debate events, earned the recognition of “All-State Speech & Debate” for the academic year, and qualified to compete at the Arkansas State Forensics & Debate Championship tournament to be held at North Little Rock High School, April 17-18.

Students can earn all-state recognition in more than one event, and are recognized with a numbered diamond to accompany the all-state title for the number of event qualifiers earned to the state tournament. (e.g., a student who qualifies for the state tournament in three events would be recognized for “Three Diamond All-State Speech & Debate.”)

The following top ten students have qualified for the five or more all-state diamond designations in high school Speech & Debate in the 2025-2026 competition season.

• Eleven Diamond All-State Speech & Debate: Alexander Gamble of Dardanelle High School, qualifying in Big Questions Debate, Congressional Debate, Dramatic Song Lyric Interpretation, Duet Improvisation, Impromptu Speaking, Informative Speaking, Original Oratory, Poetry Interpretation, Public Debate, Public Forum Debate, & Storytelling; and Maximus Gamble of Dardanelle High School, qualifying in Congressional Debate, Duet Improvisation, Dramatic Song Lyric Interpretation, Extemporaneous Speaking, Impromptu Speaking, Informative Speaking, Original Oratory, Poetry Interpretation, Public Debate, Public Forum Debate, & Storytelling.
• Seven Diamond All-State Speech & Debate: Addyson Crail of Dardanelle High School, qualifying in Duet Improvisation, Extemporaneous Speaking, Impromptu Speaking, Informative Speaking, Original Oratory, Public Debate, & Public Forum Debate.
• Six Diamond All-State Speech & Debate: Hannah Freeman of Har-Ber High School, qualifying in Dramatic Interpretation, Dramatic Song Lyric Interpretation, Duet Improvisation, Oral Interpretation, Poetry Interpretation, & Prose Interpretation; and Bryleigh Heaton of Dardanelle High School, qualifying in Duet Improvisation, Extemporaneous Speaking, Informative Speaking, Original Oratory, Public Debate, & Public Forum Debate. 
• Five Diamond All-State Speech & Debate: Layla Abdel-Karim of the Academies at Jonesboro High School, qualifying in Extemporaneous Speaking, Original Oratory, Poetry Interpretation, Prose Interpretation & Public Debate; Adrianna Cain of Morrilton High School, qualifying in Duet Improvisation, Informative Speaking, Original Oratory, Poetry Interpretation, & Public Debate; Chase Cearns of Cabot High School, qualifying in Dramatic Song Lyric Interpretation, Duo Interpretation, Impromptu Speaking, Poetry Interpretation, & Program of Oral Interpretation; Reagan Hall of Bentonville West High School, qualifying in Duet Improvisation, Duo Interpretation, Humorous Interpretation, Prose Interpretation, & Storytelling; and Emily Starkey of Har-Ber High School, qualifying in Congressional Debate, Impromptu Speaking, Duet Improvisation, Original Oratory, & Public Forum Debate.

2026 All-State Speech & Debate List:

Full Roster of 2025-2026 All-State Speech & Debate

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