Southland Graduate Jordan Lee Finishes Third in Nation in Two Speech Events

Southland College Prep Charter High School graduate Jordan Lee finished third in the nation in both Poetry and Original Spoken Word at the 2026 National Speech & Debate Tournament in Richmond, Va. Earlier this year, she also earned a third-place finish at the Illinois High School Association Speech State Finals in Dramatic Duet Acting with teammate Courtney Clemons.
Southland College Prep Charter High School graduate Jordan Lee finished third in the nation in both Poetry and Original Spoken Word at the 2026 National Speech & Debate Tournament in Richmond, Va. Earlier this year, she also earned a third-place finish at the Illinois High School Association Speech State Finals in Dramatic Duet Acting with teammate Courtney Clemons.

Southland Graduate Jordan Lee Finishes Third in Nation in Two Speech Events

2026 graduate earns national finalist honors in Poetry and Original Spoken Word

RICHTON PARK, Ill. — Southland College Prep Charter High School graduate Jordan Lee finished third in the nation in two events at the 2026 National Speech & Debate Tournament, held June 14-19 in Richmond, Va.

Lee, a member of Southland's Class of 2026, earned third-place finishes in Poetry and Original Spoken Word, becoming a national finalist in both events. Her Poetry performance, "Ain't Finna a Word," advanced through a field of 391 competitors, while her Original Spoken Word performance, "The House," advanced through a field of 191 competitors.

The National Speech & Debate Tournament brings together about 7,000 students from nearly 1,500 schools across the country and is the culminating competition of the National Speech & Debate Association season.

In Poetry, students perform selections from published poetry, using interpretation and characterization to bring literature to life. Original Spoken Word challenges students to write and perform their own original poetry, combining creative expression with performance.

Earlier this year, Lee also earned Illinois High School Association state honors, placing third in Dramatic Duet Acting with teammate Courtney Clemons at the IHSA Speech State Finals.

Lee plans to attend the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign this fall.

"To finish third in the nation in one event is extremely difficult. To do it in two events at the same national tournament is remarkable," said Southland Speech Team Head Coach Cheryl Frazier. "Jordan is the first student in Southland history to be a double finalist at nationals, which is an amazing feat. Her success reflects her tremendous talent, work ethic and ability to connect with audiences."

Lee's accomplishment caps another successful season for Southland's nationally recognized speech program. Southland sent a record six students to the 2026 National Speech & Debate Tournament, the largest group of national qualifiers in school history. The team included three recent graduates and three rising seniors and competed in four events against the nation's top speech and debate students.

Earlier this year, Southland captured its fourth Illinois High School Association state championship in Performance in the Round and continued a tradition of excellence that has made the program one of Illinois' premier speech programs. Southland has produced two National Speech & Debate Association national champions — Erik Thomas in 2015 and Nyah Ware in 2021 — along with numerous national finalists and IHSA state champions.

"Jordan's success on the national stage is a tremendous accomplishment and a reflection of the hard work, talent and dedication she brought to Southland's speech program," said Dr. Blondean Y. Davis, Southland CEO. "She represented Southland and the entire south suburban community with excellence and we are incredibly proud of her achievement.”

Latest Stories

Latest Podcast

Victor Love- Mentalhood Cultural Initiative