The Great Bend High School Forensics Team has once again demonstrated their exceptional talent and dedication at the 5A Kansas State High School Activity Association Speech and Drama Tournament held on May 3rd and 4th at Lansing High School. Out of 23 competing 5A schools, the team secured a commendable 6th place for the second consecutive year.
Coach Kim Heath expressed her pride in her students’ accomplishments stating, “The KSHSAA State Tournament was the culmination of a year’s worth of hard work for our students. Our forensic team members dedicate themselves to practicing multiple times a week with a coach, and then they put in many more hours of practice on their own. We set high expectations for our team members, and we are very proud of their commitment to succeed.”
The Panthers excelled in various events, with four of their 16 entries making it to the finals. Darcy Feist and Milena Carbajal secured the title of state runners-up in Duo Interpretation, while Milena also claimed a 5th place medal and Darcy earned bronze in Program of Oral Interpretation. Reese King demonstrated remarkable speaking skill, placing 6th in Informative Speaking.
In addition to their success in finals, the Panthers had an impressive ten individual events in Semi-Finals. Anna Bitter finished 8th in Humorous Interpretation, while Carbajal ranked 9th, and Quinton Heath placed 10th in Dramatic Interpretation. Chrisangel Adame showcased talent in Prose Interpretation, securing 10th place, and Bitter claimed 7th place in Program of Oral Interpretation. Feist finished 7th in Original Oratory, rounding out the semi-finalists.
In the limited preparation events, Chrisangel ranked 17th in Impromptu, while Rhys Froetschner secured 19th place in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking. Quinton Heath earned points for the Panthers with a 15th finish in Prose, and King ranked 17th in Original Oratory.
Finally, Froetschner and Kyra Lewis participated in Lincoln Douglas debate, with Lewis ranking 15th and Froetschner 18th, marking the first time in recent history that Great Bend had entered this category at the State tournament.
To qualify for the State Tournament, students had to place first or second during the regular season at an invitational tournament. Great Bend had over 20 events qualify, but due to entry limitations, only 16 entries were chosen to compete. However, those not selected had the opportunity to showcase their talents at the State Festival held nearby at Kansas City Community College, where they also earned medals.
The State Festival Team achieved outstanding results. Dixie Gallant received a I rating in Prose and a II rating in Poetry. Kaitlyn Froetschner also secured a I rating in Prose. Dominik Zimmerman and Kyra Lewis earned a I in Duet Acting. Lewis also received a I rating in Original Oratory. Finally, Parker Coleman scored a I rating in Informative and Hunter McClanahan received a II rating in Impromptu.
The State tournament marks the end of the Great Bend High School regular forensics season. But the journey for some of Great Bend’s most accomplished speakers doesn’t end here. Milena Carbajal, Darcy Feist, Chrisangel Adame, Reese King, and Anna Bitter have earned the prestigious opportunity to travel to Des Moines to compete at the National Speech and Debate tournament in June.
