April 8, 2026
Mastering the Argument:
Citrus Varsity Debaters Train with Elite Coaches
Written by Student Writer:
As the road to the state championships heats up, two of Citrus Speech and Debates finest, Ashley Lopez and Louis Alarcon, recently traveled to Orlando for a high-stakes weekend of refinement and competition. The duo attended the Florida Debate Initiative Pro Camp, held from March 20th-22nd in Orlando. This intensive workshop is designed specifically for varsity-level debaters, connecting them with top tier coaches to prepare them for competition.
For Lopez and Alarcon, the timing of the camp was strategic. By working directly with elite coaches just weeks before the state championships, they were able to fine-tune their arguments and sharpen their delivery.“This workshop connects students with the best in the business,” the program organizers noted. “With focused instruction tailored to their specific events, these students are bound to hit the next tournament ready to win.”
As Citrus Speech and Debate prepares for its final push toward the podium, Lopez and Alarcon return to campus with new insights and the competitive edge needed to represent Citrus County on the state stage
Citrus County Students Represent at the State Science Fair
By Student Writer: Amadeus Solis
As of the time of writing, I am currently in Lakeland for the 71st State Science and Engineering Fair of
Florida (SSEF). We have 10 middle school students representing Citrus County for the Junior division and 10 high school students (of which 5 are from Lecanto High) for the Senior division.
Each representative qualified as a finalist for the state science fair by obtaining the Top 10 average scores from the judges for each of their divisions.
The 71st SSEF opened with what is called the JASON (Junior and Senior Outstanding Narrative) Colloquium, in which participating finalists—who have an extraordinary experience in the field of leadership in science—spoke about their stories interacting with science. They spoke of experiencing failure and doubt, yet persevering and succeeding in their respective works. The seven speakers came from both rural and urban areas of Florida.
Judging occurred the morning and afternoon after the opening ceremony. The RP Funding Center’s Exhibit Hall and Jenkins Arena were filled with rows of poster boards and displays of the projects, which the finalists worked hard on to earn their place in the state fair. The judges came from prestigious backgrounds, ranging from college professors to those with doctoral degrees. The judges were impressed with the students’ research and findings. Brandon Neveau, who sought to determine whether or not Artificial Intelligence models could outperform NWPs, which they did on all but one parameter.
“Whenever I would say keywords, the judges would smile,” remarked Neveau.
Speaking of Artificial Intelligence, there was an increasing number of projects related to AI functions in fields ranging from disease detection to energy. It is wonderful to see student engagement in uncharted territory. There is no doubt that future science fairs will have more projects involving AI capabilities.
Timing for the SSEF could not have been more perfect, coinciding with the launch of Artemis II to space. The Citrus Delegation waited in excitement for the launch while enjoying their dinner. Some students even ran outside to get a glimpse of the launch, to be treated by the smoke trail left behind by the spaceship. The astronauts on the mission really served as an inspiration for the finalists, who may consist of future astronauts.
After dinner, it was time for the student mixer, an event in which all finalists could interact with each other and meet other curious minds from across the state of Florida. As the astronauts of Artemis II ventured into space, the finalists of the 71st SSEF filled Publix Field with chatter, dancing, and games. The ambiance of the stadium at dusk provided a relief from the competition earlier in the day.
The final evening, April 2, of the SSEF was when the awards ceremony was held. Finalists found out whether they won a podium position for their category or even cash prizes handed out.
As of the submission of the article, the results of the SSEF have not been announced, but the results should be out by the time the article is published and can be found on social media.
For now, our finalists are making the most of their time in Lakeland and are enjoying the rewards of their hard work.
