HARLINGEN — They’re top in the nation.
Three young thespians from Gutierrez Middle School of Arts and Sciences have grabbed the national spotlight for their powerful oratory and theatrical skills.
Catalina Cabello-Corona, Bianca Rios and Adrianna Rodriguez represented Gutierrez earlier this month in the National Speech and Debate Association Middle School Speech Challenge.
Their performances so impressed the judges they’ve been named Top 11 in the nation for Dramatic Interpretation out of 195 schools. Bianca and Adrianna also made Top 12 in Humorous Interpretation.
Catalina took Top 10 in Poetry and Adrianna was named in the Top 10 for Oral Interpretation.
“ I’m actually, really surprised and really proud I did so well,” said Catalina, 12, who will be in seventh grade this year.
“I didn’t think that I would win; it was really a one in a billion chance,” she said. “It was really surprising, and I’m really happy about it.”
She seems to have a knack for Dramatic Interpretation.
“I think Dramatic Interpretation has always been my forte,” she said. “I guess I’m good at being dramatic.”
Adrianna spoke extensively about her dramatic interpretation in which she portrayed Andrea Yates, a Houston mom who drowned her five children in 2001.
“My dramatic interpretation follows the story of Andrea Yates who was a post-partum psychosis patient,” said Andrea, 14. “I had to study her character very much so I wouldn’t mess it up. It was pretty intense, but I think I could portray it well. I painted the question was she a villain or a victim.”
Adrianna, who will attend the Dr. Abraham P. Cano Freshman Academy next year, also placed Top 10 in Oral Interpretation in the nation.
“I have curly hair,” she said, “so I spoke about how Latina women face microaggressions against their hair, how they grow more hair, especially on their legs and stuff. I talked about how I’m so sick of facing society’s standards, and I just want to be myself.”
Bianca spoke excitedly about her success.
“Knowing I made it, I’m really proud of myself, and I was very happy and excited,” said Bianca, 12.
Her DI — Dramatic Interpretation — also explored the human element of a national tragedy.
“I did ‘Dear Zoe’ by Phillip Beard,” she said. “It’s about a girl named Tess, and her sister Zoe died the day of 9/11. I had to play Tess, and it just told a story of how guilty she feels.”
Guilty?
“She had to watch her and at the same time the news was on about the Twin Towers,” she said. “She got distracted by what was going on, and her sister got run over by a bus and she feels very guilty.”
Catalina was psyched about the coming year at Gutierrez, and she spoke to next year’s classes.
“If you’re coming to Gutierrez Middle School next year and you want to try out Speech, Drama and Debate, it really helps your confidence,” she said. “It helps your public speaking skills, and it’s really fun.”
