The National Forensics League has named Speech and Debate coach Cara Borgsmiller as a Diamond Coach. She earned this Diamond award for longevity and professional excellence.

“It’s all about what the students have achieved,” Borgsmiller said.

Under Borgsmiller’s guidance, Speech and Debate students have earned over 3,336 points, which are given out based on their performance in competitions and tournaments.

“It’s a pretty cool activity for kids to grow up in and achieve things they never thought they could,” Borgsmiller said.

The achievement of the Speech and Debate students was most recently sustained with their performance in the 2013-2014 NFL Districts with Borgsmiller’s direction; as a team they placed second out of all participating schools, and were number one in the speech subcategory. Furthermore, seven students advanced to the national level tournaments.

“Six of the seven students are seniors, and five of them have gone to nationals before. For two of them, this is their third time. I think they have a really good chance; they have a lot of experience,” Borgsmiller said.

Parkway West’s success in the debate Districts is the team’s most recent example of student skill and Borgsmiller’s leadership. The National Forensics League, the largest honor society and competitive organization for the Speech and Debate, noted the achievements that occurred through her six years of coaching and awarded her with the Diamond.

“It [the award] requires you to have 1,000 points and five years of coaching. It’s for both success and duration,” Borgsmiller said.

While the award itself may seem ordinary to coaches familiar with and recognized by the National Forensics League, the advancement of a large group of students to the national tournaments is a testament to the effort and management of Borgsmiller.