Sacred Heart School Speech and Debate Coach Dan Sapir awarded Second Diamond Coach status from National Speech & Debate Association

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Sacred Heart Speech and Debate Coach Daniel Sapir awarded “Second Diamond Coach” status from the National Speech & Debate Association

KINGSTON, MA --Sacred Heart School (www.sacredheartkingston.com), a private, Catholic, co-educational school for students in preschool through grade 12, announced that Speech and Debate Coach Daniel Sapir has earned national recognition as a “Second Diamond Coach,” awarded by the National Speech & Debate Association.

 Sapir, a Kingston resident who has served as the Speech & Debate Coach as well as the Performing Arts Director for Sacred Heart for the past six years, will be officially honored at a national tournament in Kansas City, KS, this June. He will be presented with a plaque from the Association officially recognizing this milestone. He will also be there in support of one of his students, Adam Tomasi of Kingston, a junior at Sacred Heart, who will compete in this national tournament. The Kansas City competition is generally viewed as the largest speech and debate competition in the world.

The National Speech & Debate Association is one of four organizations which direct high school competitive speech and debate events. The others are the National Catholic Forensic League or NCFL, the Massachusetts Speech & Debate League, the Massachusetts Middle School Forensic League, and the Massachusetts Educational Theatre Guild.

The award of “Second Diamond Coach” status means that, under Sapir’s instruction and direction, his students have earned more than 30,000 credit points through their participation in speech and debate presentations and competitions nationally. Coach Sapir earned the “First Diamond” designation five years ago, at a national competition in Birmingham, AL.

In a letter to Sapir and to Sacred Heart School, National Speech & Debate Association Executive Director J. Scott Wunn said, “In accordance with the honor befitting this milestone, our national office has added your name to the select list of coaches who have earned diamonds. I hope you will long continue your work as a forensics educator, mindful of the fact that your commitment forever changes the lives of students.”

Of the award, Sapir said, “It’s a wonderful honor to be recognized nationally. I have the good fortune to work with some wonderfully talented students who are motivated, committed, self-starters. And they – and I – have the support of a school which places such a strong emphasis on the importance of speech and debate. Very few schools offer this opportunity to students. Often, when we hear about speech and debate, the public will think of it as being offered to high school students and above. Here at Sacred Heart, it is offered also in 6th, 7th and 8th grades.”

Pamela Desmarais, President of Sacred Heart School, said, “All of us at Sacred Heart are so proud of the wonderful achievements of our Speech and Debate students and this program. Dan does outstanding work with our students, and it is great to see his many talents recognized nationally.”

Sapir, a New Jersey native who has lived in Kingston for many years, has been the Speech and Debate Coach, and Performing Arts Chair, for Sacred Heart School for the past six years. Prior to joining Sacred Heart School, he was a Speech coach at Silver Lake Regional High School, in Kingston, and he also taught speech at Quincy College. He began his career as an educator in the public schools on the South Shore. An active member of his community, he served on Kingston’s Board of Health for nearly twenty years, and was involved in community journalism in Kingston with a monthly and two weekly newspapers. He holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from Emerson College, with specializations in English, speech and theatre. He and his wife, Nancy, are parents to four adult children.

About Sacred Heart School

Sacred Heart is a private, co-educational Catholic school system, which provides educational opportunities for students throughout southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod, from preschool through grade 12.  As a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Divine Providence, Sacred Heart School strives to inspire minds, define character and encourage responsible leadership through a curriculum that prepares students to pursue knowledge throughout their lives. The school provides students with a strong liberal arts curriculum, and integrates technology into the hands of students with its One to One iPad Program. Sacred Heart also offers extensive athletic, arts and extra-curricular activities for students.  Founded in 1947, the school underwent  a governance change in July 2011, incorporating the Sacred Heart Schools in Kingston, MA as Sacred Heart School System, Inc. This new structure was implemented to assure the continuation of academic excellence of the Sacred Heart Schools for the future, as well as the Catholic mission and the religious community traditions. The school system serves students on a beautiful, expansive campus on Route 80 that includes three school buildings, a central administrative office, and athletic fields and facilities. Sacred Heart School welcomes students of all faiths and diverse backgrounds. The school prides itself in a commitment to developing the whole student, offering an independent school atmosphere and top-tier academics. Pamela Desmarais serves as the school’s President. The Sacred Heart campus is located at 251-399 Bishops Highway, Kingston, MA 02364. For additional information about the school, please visit www.sacredheartkingston.com or call 781-585-7511.