The Great Bend Forensics/Speech team competed at the Kinsley Speech Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 28. Five GBHS speech students competed and all placed. They competed in 13 events and placed in 12.
In Impromptu Speaking, Great Bend had first- through third-place finishes with Ashtin Heath first, Geoffrey Pafford second, and Aaron Clark third. And in Humorous Solo acting Great Bend placed first and second with Aaron Clark first and Geoffrey Pafford second. In Original Oration two students also placed with Ashtin Heath first and Bayle Sandy sixth. And in Informative Speaking Patrick Heath placed second and Geoffrey Pafford placed fifth. Aaron Clark also placed second in Prose Interpretation, Ashtin Heath placed third in Dramatic Interpretation, and Patrick Heath placed fifth in Poetry Interpretation.
The team placed third overall in team sweepstakes without a full entry.
The team also qualified seven events to the State Championship Tournament at this tournament by placing first or second in their events. The new state championship qualifiers are: Aaron Clark in Humorous Solo Acting and Prose Interpretation; Ashtin Heath in Original Oration and Impromptu Speaking; Patrick Heath in Informative Speaking; and Geoffrey Pafford in Humorous Solo Acting and Impromptu Speaking.
“It was amazing to qualify to State on the second tournament out,” Pafford said.
The team has a total of nine events qualified for the State Championship Tournament in May just after two weekends of competition. Students plan to compete next weekend at South Barber High School in Kiowa.