Three Sacred Heart School students head to Birnmingham for National Speech and Debate competition

KINGSTON, Mass. - May 12, 2017 - PRLog -- Sacred Heart School (http://sacredheartkingston.com) students Kory Turner and Kayla Turner, who are brother and sister, will head to Birmingham, AL in June to compete in the Massachusetts Speech and Debate Association's National Qualification competition.

And in more good news for Sacred Heart, a third student – freshman Tommy Hu, an exchange student from China, will join the Turners in the June Nationals. He will participate in the Lincoln-Douglas debate style competition.

Kory Turner, a senior, and his sister Kayla, a freshman, were both part of a recent Massachusetts Speech and Debate Association qualifying competition held in Shrewsbury, MA. In Shrewsbury, both Kory and Kayla won in the final round, of speech. It was a two-day event known as a "double down," requiring students to go into rooms and compete with five or six other children. If there are five in the room, the top three go forward. If a student achieves two "downs" they are disqualified from competing further. Both successfully completed the rounds.

Because of their success, both Kory and Kayla Turner will participate in the National Qualifiers to be held in Birmingham, AL in June, as will Tommy Hu.

Daniel Sapir, Speech & Debate Coach at Sacred Heart School, said that it is rare for two students, especially a brother and sister, from one school to reach this level of competitive success. "They are both extraordinary students," he said, adding, "In a sense, they will be competing against each other as well as the other top debates from around the country. But we are all very proud of both Kory and Kayla and look forward to their next competition."

Sister Myra Rodgers, President of Sacred Heart School, said, "This is an extraordinary accomplishment for both Kory and Kayla, and for the school's Speech and Debate team. We are all very proud of the Turners, and also of the program itself. We congratulate Speech & Debate Coach Dan Sapir on his good work with our students."

About Sacred Heart School

Sacred Heart School is a private, co-educational Catholic school system, providing educational opportunities for students from preschool through grade 12 in 35 communities throughout southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod.  As a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Divine Providence, Sacred Heart School strives to inspire minds, define character and encourage responsible leadership through a curriculum that prepares students to pursue knowledge throughout their lives.

Situated on 100 acres with a present enrollment of 725 students, the Sacred Heart campus encompasses an Early Education Center, Elementary School and High School. The school offers a strong liberal arts curriculum and cutting-edge technology programs in combination with extensive athletic, arts and extra-curricular activities to ensure students a well-rounded education.

Founded in 1947, the school has seen many changes since its inception, including the recent construction of a $2 million Science and Innovation Center, upgrades to the Observatory, the addition of a large organic garden, a new robotics program at the kindergarten level and a full complement of beautiful athletic fields and facilities.

The campus is in use throughout the year as the site of several vibrant summer programs, including SHIELD (Sacred Heart Interdisciplinary Education Leadership Development), the school's proprietary summer enrichment program and Camp Morningstar, a long-standing recreational camp with sailing, swimming, sports, games and field trips.

Sacred Heart is proud of its near 100% college acceptance rate and pleased to offer its students opportunities to participate in internship programs with regional financial and technological firms.

Sacred Heart is led by President Sister Myra Rodgers, CDP, who holds Masters degrees in Theology and Music.  Both High School Principal Michael Gill and Early Childhood Center and Elementary School Principal Kim Stoloski hold doctorates in Education.

Sacred Heart School welcomes students of all faiths and diverse backgrounds. The school prides itself in a commitment to developing the whole student, offering an independent school atmosphere and top-tier academics. The Sacred Heart campus is located at 251-399 Bishops Highway, Kingston, MA 02364. For additional information about the school, please visit www.sacredheartkingston.com or call 781-585-7511.