Forensics: Oakland Community College

Those who read Being Miss Northwestern Ohio will recall that I blogged about competing on Bowling Green State University's Forensics (speech, debate and competitive performance) team. Unfortunately, pageants and weather have prevented me from participating in much of the fall Forensics season.

Saturday I was finally able to hop back in the University van and head to Oakland Community College (near Detroit) for a tournament. This was not an important state tournament or wittily named invitational, rather this type of smaller event is called a “qualifier.” To be able to compete at most national tournaments, a competitor must qualify by placing a certain number of times at other tournaments with a certain amount of participants.

BGSU triumphed at OCC, placing first in team sweepstakes, by earning over one hundred more points than second place Eastern Michigan University. Northwood University earned third place; the University of Michigan, Wayne State University and others also participated, though I believe we were the only Ohio school.

[Above L-R: Sarah S., DC, me, Lew, Shellely, Michelle and Sarah G.]

Since this is my first Forensics post to this blog, I have also included descriptions of each event; individual results are as follows:

Interpretation Events
“Interp” events are all performed with a scrip book; they are usually memorized, but the book can be used as a prop and page turns represent a shift in mood, time, character, etc..

Dramatic Interpretation
(performing an 8-10 minute cutting of a play)
1st place- Shelley Nixon
2nd place- Michelle Baker
3rd place- Sarah Griffith
Top Novice- Sarah Griffith

Dramatic Duo Interpretation
(two competitors performing and 8-10 minute scene from a play)
3rd place- Abby Bollenbacher & Lewis B. Smith

Programmed Oral Interpretation
(a combination of poetry, prose, etc… to support a central theme)
4th place- Abby Bollenbacher

Poetry Interpretation
(performing 8-10 minutes of a poem or poems to support a central theme)
6th place- Abby Bollenbacher
7th place- Andrea “DC” Brew

Prose Interpretation
(performing an 8-10 minute cutting of prose)
2nd place- Shelley Nixon
5th place- Sarah Griffith

Public Address Events
“P.A.s” are memorized speeches which often include use of visual aids.

Informative Speaking
(an 8-10 minute informative speech)
1st place- Sarah Griffith
Top Novice- Sarah Griffith

After Dinner Speaking
(an 8-10 minute comedic speech on a creditable topic)
1st place- Shelley Nixon
2nd place- Sarah Smith
Top Novice- Sarah Smith

Rhetorical Criticism/Communication Analysis
(an 8-10 minute speech which critically analyzes a significant communication event)
2nd place- Michelle Baker
3rd place- Lewis B. Smith
4th place- Michael Hensler
5th place- Abby Bollenbacher

Persuasion
(an 8-10 minute persuasive speech)
2nd place- Andrea “DC” Brew

Limited Preparation Events

Extemporaneous Speaking
(competitors are given 30 minutes to consult files and prepare a 5-7 minute speech on a national, international, economic, or social issue/event.)
1st place- Michelle Baker
2nd place- Sarah Smith
4th place- Lewis B. Smith
6th place- Sarah Griffith
Top Novice- Sarah Smith

Impromptu Speaking
(competitors are given a quotation to analyze and then deliver a speech based on; 7 minutes total)
3rd place- Sarah Griffith

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Congratulations to Sarah G. for being the rock star of this tournament! Also, thanks to coaches/judges Paul W. Alday and Tony Wise; Paul's wife Heather also judged on BGSU's behalf at this tournament.

The team now sets our sights on the first tournament of Spring semester : Collegiate Forensic Association Nationals. BGSU has won this event for the past four years- just like Miss Ohio, heading for #5 is both pressure-filled and exciting!!!