ELLINWOOD — Ellinwood High School alum Kelsey Menges has recently earned awards as a participant on the Kansas State University forensics team.

In her first tournament Sept.19-20 in San Marcos, Texas, Menges placed third in persuasion speaking. The meet was co-hosted by Texas State University-San Marcos and the University of Texas-Austin. Menges was the first freshman from K-State’s team to place in a tournament. As a team, K-State placed third in the meet.

In a meet hosted by Sterling College and Hutchinson Community College on Sept. 26-27, Menges placed sixth in persuasion and the K-State team again placed third in the tournament.

Menges will participate in Barton Community College’s tournament on Nov. 6-7. She is a 2010 graduate of EHS, where she was a three-time state semi-finalist in forensics and a two-time state trophy winner in debate. She is the daughter of Mark and Tracy Menges, Ellinwood.