Participating Teams
State-level competitions take place throughout the fall and winter, from which winning teams earn a spot in the National Finals. Wildcard teams are also selected from runner-up competitors.
Arizona
Winner: Mountain View High SchoolMesa, AZ
Teacher(s): Steven Miner
Wildcard: Corona Del Sol High School
Tempe, AZ
Teacher(s): Alison Rund
John Lewis Class: Vista Grande High School (AZ)
Casa Grande, AZ
Teacher(s): Jason Scherr
California
Winner: Foothill High SchoolPleasanton, CA
Teacher(s): Graham McBride and Jeremy Detamore
Wildcard: Amador Valley High School
Pleasanton, CA
Teacher(s): Stacey Sklar
Colorado
Winner: East High SchoolDenver, CO
Teacher(s): Mandy Hofstetter
Connecticut
Winner: Trumbull High SchoolTrumbull, CT
Teacher(s): Katie Boland
Wildcard: Staples High School
Westport, CT
Teacher(s): Suzanne Kammerman
District of Columbia
Winner: National Cathedral SchoolWashington, DC
Teacher(s): David Sahr
Florida
Winner: Hialeah Gardens Senior High SchoolHialeah Gardens, FL
Teacher(s): Derrick Johnson
Hawaii
Winner: Mililani High SchoolMililani, HI
Teacher(s): Jason Duncan
Illinois
Winner: Maine South High SchoolPark Ridge, IL
Teacher(s): Leah Politi
Wildcard: St. Jospeh-Ogden High School
St Joseph, IL
Teacher(s): Marshall Schacht
Indiana
Winner: Hamilton Southeastern High SchoolFishers, IN
Teacher(s): Janet Chandler
Wildcard: Plainfield High School
Plainfield, IN
Teacher(s): Adam Ferguson
Kentucky
Winner: Highlands High SchoolFort Thomas, KY
Teacher(s): Megan Boimann-Hennies
Massachusetts
Winner: Easthampton High SchoolEasthampton, MA
Teacher(s): Kelley Brown and Taylor Dadmun
Maryland
Winner: Boonesboro High SchoolBoonsboro, MD
Teacher(s): Ashley Vascik
Michigan
Winner: East Kentwood High SchoolKentwood, MI
Teacher(s): Justin Robbins
Wildcard: East Grand Rapids High School
East Grand Rapids, MI
Teacher(s): Adam Horos
Montana
Winner: Stevensville High SchoolStevensville, MT
Teacher(s): Wes Wells
Nebraska
Winner: Lincoln East High SchoolLincoln, NE
Teacher(s): Michaela Schleicher
Nevada
Winner: Incline High SchoolIncline Village, NV
Teacher(s): Milton Hyams
Wildcard: Reno High School
Reno, NV
Teacher(s): Brien Karlin
New Hampshire
Winner: Milford High SchoolMilford, NH
Teacher(s): Thomas Lundstedt
Wildcard: Hollis-Brookline High School
Hollis, NH
Teacher(s): Trevor Duval
New Jersey
Winner: East Brunswick High SchoolEast Brunswick, NJ
Teacher(s): Marc Mondry and Ellen Spivey
New Mexico
Winner: Cottonwood Classical Preparatory SchoolAlbuquerque, NM
Teacher(s): William Torres
New York
Winner: Half Hollow Hills East High SchoolDix Hills, NY
Teacher(s): Dave Pitman
Wildcard: James Madison High School
Brooklyn, NY
Teacher(s): Jeffrey Roth
Ohio
Winner: Findlay High SchoolFindlay, OH
Teacher(s): Austin Fox
Oregon
Winner: Grant High SchoolPortland, OR
Teacher(s): Angela DiPasquale
Wildcard: Lincoln High School
Portland, OR
Teacher(s): Patrick Magee-Jenks
Rhode Island
Winner: North Smithfield High SchoolNorth Smithfield, RI
Teacher(s): Natalie O'Brien
South Dakota
Winner: Spearfish High SchoolSpearfish, SD
Teacher(s): Pat Gainey
Texas
Winner: Tomball Innovation CenterTomball, TX
Teacher(s): Greg Wiley and Christina Litchfield
Utah
Winner: Green Canyon High SchoolLogan UT
Teacher(s): Mike Rigby and Andrea Thompson
Virginia
Winner: Douglas S. Freeman High SchoolRichmond, VA
Teacher(s): Rob Peck
Wildcard: Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies
Richmond, VA
Teacher(s): Sam Ulmschneider
Vermont
Winner: St. Johnsbury AcademySt Johnsbury, VT
Teacher(s): Lucas Weiss
Washington
Winner: Tahoma Senior High SchoolMaple Valley, WA
Teacher(s): Gretchen Wulfing
Wisconsin
Winner: Wauwatosa West High SchoolWauwatosa, WI
Teacher(s): Chad Mateske
Wildcard: Wauwatosa East High School
Wauwatosa, WI
Teacher(s): Michael Aronow
West Virginia
Winner: Clay County High SchoolClay, WV
Teacher(s): Ron Starcher
Wildcard: Woodrow Wilson High School
Beckley, WV
Teacher(s): John Quesenberry
Wyoming
Winner: Sheridan High SchoolSheridan, WY
Teacher(s): Karen Wagner
Wildcard: Cheyenne Central High School
Cheyenne, WY
Teacher(s): Bryce Strampe
Hearing Schedules
Detailed hearing schedules, including division assignments and hearing locations, will be released closer to the National Finals dates. Check back here for updates, or make sure you're signed up for the Center's newsletter.
Travel Details
All teams participating in the National Finals must travel with Grand Classroom, our contracted travel vendor for 2026.
Grand Classroom will work directly with teachers to arrange hotel accommodations, travel to the D.C. area, bus transportation to the competition venue, and to other preferred tourism locations.
Grand Classroom will consistently support and assist all teams, promptly addressing any travel needs or concerns, ensuring a smooth and stress-free travel experience for all participants.
