From Great Bend High School forensics coach Kim Heath...
Last weekend, the Great Bend Forensics team spent two days competing at the West Kansas District national qualifying tournament. In the end, the Panthers were named Speech Sweepstakes champions and three Panthers qualified for the national tournament in two separate events. Milena Carbajal and Darcy Feist won the Duo Interpretation event, and Chrisangel Adame qualified for the Senate in Congressional Debate. A total of fourteen Great Bend students competed at the tournament.
The National Speech and Debate Tournament is being held in Des Moines, Iowa, later this year between June 16 and June 21. The tournament hosts thousands of students per year and allows them to compete in their respective events over the course of multiple days. After several elimination rounds, the top six in each category will perform on the main stage in front of the rest of the competitors and be ranked first through sixth.
Chrisangel Adame, who qualified in Congressional Debate in the Senate, is going to nationals for the first time. Representing West KS in the National Student Senate is a unique kind of debate event. As Adame explained, “It is a mock congress in which you consider legislation and argue for and against different policy proposals using parliamentary procedure.”
Milena Carbajal and Darcy Feist will be performing a Duo Interpretation at nationals cut from the memoir, Girl Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen. Their piece explores the trauma of mental illness and hospitalization during the early 1970s. Forensics coach, Kim Heath, explains that “the story the girls share is grim, but it highlights the strength that can be drawn from a relationship formed in a harrowing environment. Milena and Darcy’s performance is heart wrenching.”
Carbajal and Feist were successful in their other events as well. Milena won 2nd place in Dramatic Interpretation, and Darcy won 2nd place in Program of Oral Interpretation. Both finishes are strong enough to qualify for nationals, but the girls preferred to compete together with their Duo at the national tournament.
Overall, Great Bend Speech and Debate had a successful tournament with eight separate people breaking, or advancing, to the final round.
Junior Anna Bitter was first alternate for a national’s spot in both Humorous Interpretation and Program of Oral Interpretation. Sophomore Ellie Damm was 5th in Dramatic Interpretation, and Sophomore Quinton Heath was 7th in both Dramatic and Humorous Interpretation.
In the speaking events, Sophomore Zachary Hart placed 5th in International Extemporaneous speaking. Junior Reese King was 6th in both Informative and Original Oration.
Other Panthers earning points towards the team sweepstakes championship trophy included Rhys Froetschner, Parker Coleman, Kyra Lewis, Hunter McClanahan, Kendra Scheideman and Dominik Zimmerman.