OXBRIDGE DRAGONES SOAR AT 2016 FLORIDA STATE SPANISH CONFERENCE
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (March 24, 2016) —The Oxbridge Academy Spanish Team, called Los Dragones de Oxbridge, continued its reign as one of the best in the state following its successful showing at the 2016 Florida State Spanish Conference. Held earlier this month in Orlando, the conference brings together the top 50 public and private school teams from Florida to compete in impromptu speaking, poetry declamation, theatrical performance, musical entertainment, visual arts expo and creative writing.
Los Dragones de Oxbridge finished second place overall in Division II – 4A/6A, after trying to defend its 2015 Division Champion title. This is the fourth year that Oxbridge has finished in either of the top two spots.
In addition to competing, Oxbridge Academy served as host of this year’s conference. Under the direction of Oxbridge Spanish teacher Michael Hollis-Anand and alumnus Manny Briseneau, the host committee was responsible for all aspects of the four-day event. The group executed all event logistics, such as registration, decorations, preparation of the competition rounds and the awards ceremony. One of the host committee members, Alex Commette of Jupiter, was recognized by the Florida State Spanish Conference Board of Directors for being this year’s most polite and professional student volunteer.
Host duties also included determining the tournament theme: recordando nuestras raíces (remembering our roots), which was centered around Guatemalan writer Rigoberta Menchú’s concept of nahuales (Mayan spirit shadows). The Florida Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese recognized Hollis-Anand and Briseneau for their work creating and executing the most literary and culturally diverse theme and visual arts project in tournament history, as well as the most creative opening ceremony speech.
Los Dragones de Oxbridge individual awards included:
Virginia Argüelles, Wellington: two trophies with perfect scores for impromptu speaking and poetry declamation and a gold ribbon with perfect scores for theatrical performance
Viviana Brooks, Jupiter: a trophy with perfect scores for impromptu speaking and a gold ribbon with perfect scores for theatrical performance
Jordan Bustabad, Boynton Beach: two trophies for impromptu speaking and poetry declamation and a gold ribbon with perfect scores for theatrical performance
Chavely Calleja, West Palm Beach: a trophy for impromptu speaking, a trophy with perfect scores for poetry declamation, and a trophy with perfect scores for theatrical performance
Laura Castillo, Lake Worth: a trophy for impromptu speaking
Mario Farrulla, West Palm Beach: a trophy for impromptu speaking and a gold ribbon with perfect scores for theatrical performance
Isabella Greene, Lantana: a blue ribbon for impromptu speaking, a trophy with perfect scores for poetry declamation, and a gold ribbon with perfect scores for theatrical performance
Alejandra Gutiérrez, Loxahatchee: a blue ribbon for impromptu speaking and a gold ribbon with perfect scores for theatrical performance
Brandon Kramer, West Palm Beach: a trophy with perfect scores for impromptu speaking and a gold ribbon with perfect scores for theatrical performance Jack Maloney, Delray Beach: a trophy for impromptu speaking Kella Merlain-Moffatt, Wellington: a trophy for impromptu speaking Carlos Pernas, Loxahatchee: a trophy for impromptu speaking and a gold ribbon with perfect scores for theatrical performance Aryanna Ramsey, Palm Beach Gardens: two trophies for impromptu speaking and visual arts expo Max Shteiman, West Palm Beach: two trophies for impromptu speaking and poetry declamation and a gold ribbon with perfect scores for theatrical performance Nalin Vattigunta, Palm Beach Gardens: a blue ribbon for impromptu speaking Justin Wisnicki, West Palm Beach: two blue ribbons for impromptu speaking and poetry declamation and a gold ribbon with perfect scores for theatrical performance The team was awarded a trophy in dramatic presentation for its performance of ¡Médico! ¡Médico!, an original play written by coach Michael Hollis-Anand and directed by team members Virginia Argüelles and Max Shteiman. The team also won second place overall in the Parade of Nations for Aryanna Ramsey’s hand-made costume of Gabriel García Márquez’s “Un señor muy viejo con unas alas enormes” and first place/best of show in the entire state in the visual arts expo for Fred Marro’s ceramic nahuales sculpture of a green, purple, and gold Mayan dog.
For more information on Oxbridge Academy, call 561-972-9600 or visit www.oapb.org.