Greenhills Forensics Wins State Championship, Captures First Class B Title
There are moments when a program’s story bends; when past success meets a new challenge, and something even stronger emerges on the other side. Last weekend was one of those moments, with the Greenhills Upper School Forensics Team claiming the Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association State Championship—its 18th in program history, and its first since moving up to Class B competition.
For a team long accustomed to excellence, the path to this title was anything but automatic. After capturing its fourth consecutive Class C state championship in 2023 season, and posting scores that would have won at the next level, Greenhills moved up to Class B, taking on bigger schools and stronger competition.
The transition showed that Greenhills could compete at any level. In both 2024 and 2025, Greenhills finished as runner-up in Class B, just behind perennial powerhouse Grand Rapids Christian. Earning second in the state while competing against much larger schools is a huge accomplishment in and of itself, but the Greenhills team wanted more. They wanted the top prize, and this season they made it happen.
“This championship was truly three years in the making,” said head coach Ben Bellamy. “After two consecutive years of finishing as runners-up to our respected rivals, the team’s persistence and hard work finally paid off.”
Competing over two long days at Eastern Michigan University, 43 Greenhills students contributed to the team’s winning performance. Along the way, the team earned three individual state championships, 20 finalist finishes that included four second-place results and 13 semifinalists. Just as meaningful as the results was the spirit behind them.
“My pride in this team is immeasurable,” Bellamy noted, “Not only did everyone’s points contribute to the team championship, but several students whose events concluded early stayed to support their teammates all the way through the awards ceremony—and even helped unload the bus at 8:30 that night. Everyone followed our core edict at this tournament: have fun. They worked hard, supported each other, and were true champions in every sense of the word.”
Leadership and Legacy
The team’s success was guided by a strong group of student leaders, including team captain Ajay Purohit ’26, who capped his career with a fourth consecutive second-place finish in Extemporaneous Speaking. Despite narrowly missing an individual title, Purohit’s leadership stood out.
“He displayed wonderful leadership, grace, humility, and maturity throughout the tournament,” Bellamy said, “along with a genuine delight in the team’s overall success.”
Bellamy also recognized event captains Deeksha Sriram ’26, Peter Prokhorov ’26, and Alexandra DaSilva ’26, along with vice captains Alison Choi ’27, Angela Choi ’27, and Kirtan Palapattu ’27, for guiding the team throughout the season.
State Finals MVP
Sriram was named State Finals MVP, a fitting recognition for a seven-year forensics career defined by steady growth and quiet leadership. From competing as a middle schooler at high school tournaments to earning state honors throughout her career, Sriram has been both a standout performer and a mentor to younger teammates.
“She has led and inspired the rising stars of the program,” Bellamy said. “She richly deserves this honor.”
A Community Effort
The championship reflects not only the students’ work, but the broader community that supports the program. Bellamy expressed gratitude to assistant coach Katie McBride, a dedicated group of volunteer coaches, alumni contributors, and tournament judges, as well as the families who sustained the team throughout the season. From early morning departures to long tournament days—and countless hours listening to evolving scripts—the support behind the scenes was constant and essential.
2026 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP INDIVIDUAL RESULTSState Champions
Peter Prokhorov ’26: State Champion of Impromptu Speaking.
Evan Chung ’28: State Champion of Storytelling (The Ninjabread Man)
Alison Choi ’27, Ellie Kim ’27, Nina Malani ’27, and Shreya Shastry ’27: State Champions of Multiple Interpretation (These Shining Lives)
State Finalists
Sadie Skiles ’28: 4th in Dramatic Interpretation
Ashrita Bharath ’28 and Monica Kovacs ’28: 4th in Duo Interpretation
Kirtan Palapattu ’27 and Richard Wu ’26: 3rd in Duo Commentary
Ajay Purohit ’26: 2nd in Extemporaneous
Angela Choi ’27: 2nd in Informative
Sophia Hazzi ’26: 5th in Informative
Henry Beck ’26, Owen Gregg ’26, Jonah Kaplan ’26, Royal Seale ’26, and Zohabe Uzzaman ’26: 3rd in Multiple Interpretation
Swati Gupta ’27: 3rd in Oratory Open
Enan Shihadeh ’28: 2nd in Oratory 9/10
Eva Malcoun ’28: 3rd in Oratory 9/10
Alexandra DaSilva ’26: 2nd in Program Oral Interpretation
Maya Kross ’28: 3rd in Program Oral Interpretation
Supriya Tewari ’29: 5th in Sales
Ryan Oh ’28: 5th in Storytelling
State Semifinalists
Aris Alexiou ’28: Broadcasting
Sahana Shah ’29: Dramatic Interpretation
Mira Jayaraman ’26 and Lauren Ye ’26: Duo Commentary
Emily Choi ’27 and Lauren DiMarzo ’27: Duo Interpretation
Jessica Lou ’27: Oratory
Rania Tajuddin ’29: Poetry
Ryan Siegal ’28: Prose 9/10
Gisselle Greenawalt ’28: Prose 9/10
Zoya DelProposto ’28: Prose Open
Saroya Shea ’28: Prose Open
Deeksha Sriram ’26: Sales
State Qualifiers
Bobby Srinivasan ’28: Broadcasting
Naveen Kulkarni ’27: Extemporaneous
Ishan Nair ’28: Impromptu
Hazel Morgan ’28: Poetry
