Elementary and middle school students from across Peoria competed in the 2026 District Speech and Debate Championship on Saturday, and former boxing icon James "Buster" Douglas was there to cheer them on.
Douglas, the Columbus, Ohio, native who knocked out then-undefeated Mike Tyson at 42-to-1 odds in 1990, presented awards and encouraged young competitors facing their own version of the big fight.
He said he came for one reason.
"Support them, encourage them," Douglas said. "Give encouragement that you too can be something."
For students who spent weeks memorizing speeches and steeling themselves against stage fright, his words carried weight. When asked what advice he had for competitors nervously awaiting results, Douglas kept it simple: "Just exhale. You know, relax and just be prepared for whatever. No matter the outcome, we're still gonna make it."
He drew a direct line between his own underdog story and what the students were doing Saturday.
"When all the odds are against you, you still stand up and continue on and strive to be the best," he said.
For those hoping to one day compete on a bigger stage, he offered this: "Give it your best. I look forward to seeing you one day on the big screen, you're on the right course. Stay the course."
Douglas, who now serves as head coach of the Columbus amateur boxing program he attended as a youth, said giving back feels like a natural extension of his own upbringing.
"It's full circle for me," he said. "My father was the head guy when I was coming up. So now I am my father, you know, extending the gifts."
Tyson's name came up more than once Saturday. Asked about Tyson's recent bout with Jake Paul, Douglas was measured in his assessment.
"It was good show," he told WCBU. "He fought within his range and made it competitive."
And if someone came calling for Douglas to return to the ring?
"Depends on what day it is," he said with a laugh. "I gotta be feeling good...depends on what day."
Beyond public speaking
The speech tournament was organized by Advantage Communications. CEO Sal Tinajero said the company's mission is to improve literacy skills in communities across the country that need it most.
District literacy coordinator Lindsay Bohm said what she witnessed Saturday went beyond public speaking.
"Getting up and speaking in front of people is powerful," Bohm said. "It's that one fear that even most adults have. But getting them comfortable with doing it, the literacy angle really excites me. Just to see so many kids out here is exciting."
Parents in the audience felt the excitement, too. Fiona Larkham, whose daughter Ella Marie competed in the elementary division, reminisced about her own time in a youth speech and debate program.
"It teaches confidence,” Larkham said. “It teaches them how to speak eloquently. It's one of the best things I ever did in my life."
The student competitors made clear the program has inspired them. Demi Caruth, a Franklin Elementary student who spoke about AI, said, "It lets you speak your feelings, and it's really fun, and it builds your vocabulary."
Amery Morris Williams, another student competitor, summed up what the program has taught her in one sentence.
"If you don't speak up for yourself, no one will know what you want," she said.
The ceremony also paused to honor Torres Johnson, a 10-year-old Franklin speech student killed by gun violence in September 2024. The Torres Johnson Memorial Award was presented to student Charlie Ellis of Lincoln.
2026 District Championship — First-place winners
- Middle School Drama/Prose/Poetry: Lucero Miguel Rivera — Annie Jo Gordon K-8
- Middle School Info-OO (Declamation): Barbie Allen — Liberty Elementary
- Middle School Declamation: Marvin Polnitz — Trewyn K-8
- Middle School Storytelling/Humor: Eleanor Delach — Liberty Elementary
- Elementary Declamation: Kensey Emmerson — Sterling Middle School
- Elementary Informative Speaking: Joslyn Jordan — Sterling Middle School
- Elementary Original Oratory: Rhayna House — Sterling Middle School
- Elementary Poetry: Maranda Polnitz — Trewyn K-8
- Elementary Prose Interpretation: Penelope Rivera — Lincoln Elementary, Calumet City
- Elementary Storytelling: Layla Ramos — Franklin Elementary
- Elementary Spanish Interpretation: Everilda Yarimar Sebastian Juan — Annie Jo Gordon K-8
- Middle School Mixed Royal Rumble: Carlos Fields — Trewyn K-8
- Elementary Mixed Royal Rumble: Aaliyah Dillard — Trewyn K-8
- Torres Johnson Memorial Award: Charli Ellis — Lincoln K-8
- Teacher of the Year (Elementary): Mariah Riggenbach
- Teacher of the Year (Middle School): Teresa Brown
- Team Award – Small School: Lincoln Elementary, Calumet City (393 points)
- Team Award – Large School: Annie Jo Gordon K-8 (820 points)
