Five Pueblo-area high school students earned first-place medals at the 4A CHSAA Speech and Debate Championships on Feb. 24-25.

Three state champions represented Pueblo West High School. Junior Nkechi Onyejekwe won her third consecutive state championship in the Original Oratory competition. Senior Riya Singh won in Lincoln Douglas Debate and senior Phillip Rasmussen won the U.S. Extemporaneous Speaking competition.

Axel Enochson of Pueblo County High School placed first in International Extemporaneous Speaking, while Ky Burton of Pueblo Centennial High School emerged atop the field in Dramatic Interpretation.

East’s Klock elected Colorado DECA president

Devin Klock, a junior at Pueblo East High School, will be representing Colorado as its DECA President at the DECA International Career Development Conference in Anaheim, California, from April 27-30.

Klock will be in good company at the national conference. Fellow Eagles Sergio Silva Campa and Abrianna Cortez qualified for the conference following their performances at state from Feb. 25-27, according to Pueblo School District 60.

East junior Ysa Rosales was named a finalist in the state Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling competition and educator Janae Passalaqua was recognized with a Friends of DECA award. Overall, the East DECA chapter placed third in the state.

PAACO scholarship applications open until March 31

Applications for Pueblo African American Concern Organization (PAACO) scholarships close on March 31.

Recipients of PAACO scholarships may receive $500 per semester for up to eight semesters, given they have at least a 2.5 GPA and are taking at least 12 credit hours. There’s also the Ruth Steele Scholarship, which requires students to have a 2.0 GPA.

More information about PAACO scholarships may be found on PAACO.org. Questions may be emailed to Paaco1992@gmail.com.

“PAACO has provided over 350 scholarships since 1992,” according to a statement from PAACO. “The Pueblo African American Concern Organization is managed by a Board of Directors, who are selected from the community at large and voted on by members of the board. The ultimate goal for the PAACO scholarships is develop young people into productive citizens of the local community.”

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Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@gannett.com. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo students excel in speech championships and other education news