Grand Rapids Knights Of The Round Table Oratory Competition 2011

Every year the Grand Rapids Knights Of The Round Table host an oratory scholarship competition with prize money going to the top 3 places. This past May I went with my wonderful student Caden to watch him compete. As a teacher and coach it is the relationships with the amazing people who walk into my classroom that make the job so wonderful. His speech went a bit long which put him in 3rd place for scholarship money but watching Caden give a powerful speech was such and honor regardless of his rank. He is now in college at Wayne State University and I couldn’t be more proud. It was a lovely afternoon, with a wonderful lunch, and fabulous speakers. Thank you Grand Rapids Knights Of The Round Table for the wonderful opportunity and the lovely memory. Caden is using his scholarship money well.

Henry Smitter introduces the speakers.

The other contestants with with their coaches.

Caden and I

Caden speaking

The 3 scholarship winners.

Forensics State Finals 2011 At Oakland University

My orator and my 2 impromptu kids made it to state finals which was held at Oakland University this year. This was a new venue for states and they were fabulously accommodating for having several hundred teenagers in suits or with boxes or stools descend on them and start talking to their walls. The weather cooperated and the stars aligned in that my 2 impromptu gentleman actually cleared to semi- final round putting them in the top 12 in the state for class A. Pretty darn cool. We teamed up for moral support with our friends from Grand Rapids City High who were competing in class B. The kids bunked together and we drove together to save on money. My fabulous hubby drove the 3 hours with the ferret to cheer us on on Saturday. We were feeling the love. I think it made those early Saturday mornings in March all worth it for these fabulous forensicators.

Oakland University

The ferret in full ferret form dropping stones in the storm drain.

Caden, Caden’s mom, Adythia, Kaylyn, and alum Andy wait for postings and have some snacks.

Semis are up there they are.

Caden with his plaque

And Adythia with his plaque

Our merry little band.

Our friends from City High

Forensics Regionals

Last April just before spring break Grand Rapids Christian High held our Forensics regionals. I had two in the category of impromptu, one in sales (I didn’t get a picture of him- he had to leave right after competing) and one in oratory, and darned if they didn’t all qualify to state finals! Woot! Hooray for Adythia, Kaylyn, Caden, and Daniel!

Adythia and Kaylyn wait for awards.

Caden looking very dapper in his suit.

The group waiting. I love Adythia’s socks (wink) Luckily the judges couldn’t see them when he was standing up speaking.

And the qualifiers are… Adythia and Caden in Impromptu.

And Kaylyn in oratory.

Forensics Night

Forensics Night is a fun night we have to perform pieces one last time, close out our season and laugh at all the goofy things that happened during the year. Rachel wrote a poem to close out the night and I think she summed it up quite well so I won’t try to improve on it.

Welcome to Forensics Night.

FORENSICS
“F” is for the Fun we have as a team.
Winning or losing doesn’t matter,
just as long as we support each other
and enjoy ourselves.

“O” is for Outrageous Oratory topics.
Weddings, rape, cats, Ratatouille, and
Why, apparently, children should be
Left behind: these were all speeches
That, unfortunately, were heard time
and again.

“R” is for Raccoon, and making fun
of Kesha, and teammates’ speeches
heard just one time too many. What
happens in the van, stays in the van!

“E” is for Enthusiasm…or not, at 6
or 7 in the morning with nervousness
and anticipation battling with each
other as we set off for yet another
tournament. 7-11 stop anyone?

“N” is for Nicknames. You know the
competition solely by their piece or a
defining outward characteristic. Hence,
Bowtie Guy, Mean Girls Girl, Kilt
Man, and Facebook Girl become acceptable and understood vernacular.

“S” is for stupid judges. For all those
who can’t run stopwatches, handle
timecards, give constructive criticism,
or get to the room on time, know that
I quite frankly don’t like you, and am
likely to talk about you to my team.

“I” is for ‘Iraq and roll,’ ‘running from
Iran,’ being a little teapot for prison
reform, and so many jokes and stories
that make Forensics SO much fun, and
never dull.

“C” is for Coach—Medford-Tow-Conley,
our multiple-monikered favorite person,
who puts up with our “uniqueness” and
gives up whole Saturdays to cart us
to and from tournaments. Thank You Tow!

“S” is for success! An awesome team, an
awesome season, can’t wait until next
year comes!

Caden with his regional qualifying informative speech on deafness.

 

Alecia doing poetry interpretation- Bubble Trouble

Erin doing children’s storytelling- Snow White.

Rachel with her state qualifying oratory on perseverance.

 

Jen with who broke at states to semi- final round in impromptu speaking.

Talya found a funny article for Jen to speak on.

Telling the “tea pot” story regarding a competitor who tried to use I’m a little tea pot to introduce a topic on the economy.

Jen prepping.

 

Me timing and calling time out to her in 15 sec. increments.

As always in impromptu speaking on the fly.

Thomas doing dramatic interpretation from The Wizard of Oz.

Alecia with her informative speech on juggling.

Brittney with poetry-a collection of poems about betrayal.

Talya with her final round, 6th place at the state championship, oratory on the problem with ignorance about current events.

Rachel closing with the poem she wrote listed above.

Thanks for a great season gang!