The Speech Team Competed at the Forensics Tournament in Kinsley on Saturday, Jan 31st. They had nine events place and four State Qualifiers.
The State Champ Qualifiers were Aaron Miller by placing second in Humorous Solo Acting. Carter Sheffield placed 1st in all three of his events of Original Oration, Poetry Interpretation, and Impromptu Speaking qualifying all three of those events to state.
There are several other students on the team that also advanced to finals and placed. Ashtin Heath placed 4th in both of events of Humorous Solo Acting and Serious Solo Acting. Hadley Murphy also placed in both of her events. Murphy placed 4th in Original Oration and 6th is Serious Solo Acting. Becca Kay placed 6th in Serious Solo Acting.
The team placed second overall in Sweepstakes out of sixteen schools.
The first Speech Tournament of the season was at Jetmore on Jan. 19, right after the Varsity State Tournament on Friday and Saturday January 16 and 17. “With no turn around time in between each season. I was very impressed some of the teams was ready to compete at the first tournament. We brought five students and five events placed in finals. Becca Kay placed 4th in Serious Solo Acting, Uriel Renteria placed 5th in Informative Speaking, Makinna Dykes placed 3rd in both Informative Speaking and Original Oration, and Malia Clark placed 2nd in Serious Solo Acting qualifying to the State Speech Championship. The team placed 3rd overall in Sweepstakes. Sara Allen placed 6th in Humorous Solo Acting at the very competitive tournament at Kapaun Mt. Carmel on Saturday, Jan. 24th. “That was a great way to start Forensics Season,” stated Great Bend High School Debate and Forensics coach Barbara Watson.
The Debate Season ended by competing at the Novice State Champion Tournament on Jan. 8 and 9, at Blue Valley. Sara Allen and Becca Kay had a winning record a three - two loss record and missed it by only two quality points of making into the eliminations rounds.
At the Varsity State Debate Tournament held at Derby on January 16 and 17, the two debate teams of Carter Sheffield and Kris Gieck and Ashtin Heath and Aaron Miller were power matched and in the top eight pairings in the 6th round to determine who went to finals. Both teams barely missed breaking into the elimination rounds which was very good considering the young squad with mainly first and second year students. The Forensics season has started strong and the team is looking forward to continued success.