After many hours of evaluation and deliberation, NHI at Tip of Texas is excited to announce that we have selected the individuals who will serve as the Head Coaches of each category!
Applicants were selected based on their prior involvement with the organization, the leadership capabilities they demonstrated throughout said involvement, and their ability to apply the principles of Immersive-Disruptive Learning as reflected in the nine-hour curriculum all candidates were asked to submit.
REGINA GARCIA
HEAD COACH OF MOCK TRIAL
Regina Garcia was a finalist in the category of Mock Trial at the 2022 Texas Great Debate. This is her second year serving as a coach for her category. She is currently a junior at Saint Joseph Academy.
"I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve as Head Coach of Mock Trial. I hope to create a positive environment so the participants this year can strengthen and develop skills that will help them throughout their future as leaders."
EMMANUEL AGUIRRE
CO-HEAD COACH OF CROSS EXAMINATION
Emanuel Aguirre competed at the 2022 Great Debate. He advanced first to the Sweet Sixteen and then on to the Elite Eight. He was a coach his sophomore year for Cross Examination. He is currently a junior in Saint Joseph Academy.
“I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to positively impact young leaders in my community. It is an honor and a massive privilege to be given this opportunity as a junior, along with one of my best friends Micheal Rodriguez. I plan to implement new systems to hopefully adjust them and perfect them between this year and next. My main goal in my mind when leading this group is to be able to give them tools that can only be provided in programs like this and be able to use them for the rest of their lives.”
MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
CO-HEAD COACH OF CROSS EXAMINATION
Michael Rodriguez is currently a Junior at Veterans Memorial Early College High School where he is involved in various extracurriculars, including the National Honor Society, as well as multiple sporting activities. He has been actively involved with NHI since his freshman year where he was a semi-finalist in the category of Cross Examination at the 2022 Great Debate. This is his second year serving as a coach for his category.
“I am more than honored to be given the opportunity of being a Co-Head Coach along with my fellow peer and good friend, Emanuel Aguirre. I have learned so much over the years as both a participant and a coach, and cannot wait to share and expand my knowledge of presentation and debate even further. My hope is to contribute to a meaningful experience for the incoming participants and to help benefit them as much as I have benefited from NHI myself.”
MIA LAVIN
HEAD COACH OF ORATORY
Mia Lavin is a senior at Saint Joseph Academy, where she takes on many leadership roles in extracurricular activities. She has been involved with the National Hispanic Institute since the ninth grade, where she placed as All State and was in the Final Four for Oratory in the 2021 GDx. Additionally, she attended the 2022 American Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session, where she was a member of the Senate. Most recently she attended the Texas 2023 Great Debate as a John F. Lopez Fellow and was part of the tournament staff.
“I am honored to be able to serve as this year’s Head Coach for Oratory. I am looking forward to be working with the Oratory coaches and participants. As the Head Coach of Oratory, I will ensure that we help all our participants succeed in this upcoming season and Great Debate."
SEBASTIAN GREEN
CO-HEAD COACH OF EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING
Sebastian Green participated in the 2022 Great Debate, where he advanced to the Elite Eight. He is currently a junior at Saint Joseph Academy. This is his second year serving as a coach for his category.
“I am equally excited and grateful to be serving as the Co-Head Coach of Extemporaneous Speaking. As a duo, I believe that Marco and I have the skills necessary to both create a team of proficient speakers and a necessary change in the Latino community. I will do my best to replicate the success that we have found last season, and the many seasons that preceded it.”
MARCO SALDIVAR
CO-HEAD COACH OF EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING
Marco Saldivar is currently a Junior at Veterans Memorial Early College High School where he is involved in various extracurriculars, including President of the Class of 2025, member of the National Honor Society, and Varsity Tennis. He has been actively involved with NHI since his freshman year, when he was a quarter-finalist in the Extemporaneous Speaking category at the 2022 Great Debate. This is his second year serving as a coach for his category.
"I am honored and excited about the future of Extemporaneous Speaking and I cannot wait to begin coaching once again. I’m very pleased to be a co-head coach with my partner and good friend Sebastian Green. I have discovered that through coaching, I have learned more about extemporaneous speaking than ever before. I’m grateful for the opportunity to make an impact on my community while continuing to further my extemporaneous speaking abilities.”
In the next couple of months leading up to the beginning of training, these individuals will train and meet with the members of their staff to prepare for the upcoming season.
