The Fox Chapel Area High School History Club participated in a cemetery cleanup at the abandoned Duncan Heights Cemetery in McCandless Township on Oct. 12.

The cemetery, which is unclaimed, is home to the graves of a number of World War II veterans and has not had a burial since the 1960s.

A group of cemetery neighbors has been working on the property, and the Fox Chapel Area High School History Club is assisting in the rehabilitation effort. History Club President Arvind Seshan helped to organize the event. Seshan and club members seniors Elijah Conklin, Caleb Hahl, Paul Kullmann and club advisor Eric Norberg cut grass, cleared weeds and reopened a trail on the property.

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Four Fox Chapel Area High School students placed at the 20th Annual M & M Invitational Speech and Debate Tournament.

Senior Sonny Hur won first place in Lincoln Douglas Debate and also earned his first bid to participate in the Pennsylvania High School Speech League State Championship Tournament in March 2023.

Freshman Ulyana Kubini won third place and freshman Greta Erdner earned sixth place in Original Oratory, and sophomore Swati Mylarappa won fifth place in Student Congress.

Their performances in speech and debate competitions earned Ulyana and sophomore Varnujah Rengaramanujam Kanagaraj their lifetime memberships in the National Speech and Debate Association.

The tournament, sponsored by Mercyhurst Preparatory School and McDowell High School, was held Nov. 5 on the campus of Penn State Behrend in Erie. More than 125 students from 11 public and private high schools from Pennsylvania and Ohio participated.

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Three Fox Chapel Area High School speech and debate team members recently placed in the annual Pittsburgh District Novice Tournament. The team of freshmen Joanna Li and Simon Littwin won fourth place in Parliamentary Debate, and sophomore Swati Mylarappa won sixth place in Impromptu Speaking.

Additionally, due to their recent performances in speech and debate and Model United Nations tournaments, Joanna and freshman Ori Goldin earned lifetime membership in the National Speech and Debate Association.

The Pittsburgh District Novice Tournament was held Oct. 29 at Pine-Richland High School. More than 200 students representing 22 public and private high schools from Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia competed at the tournament.

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