“So if I join Forensics, when do I get to look at dead bodies?” Well, I’ve got some bad news…high school Forensics isn’t Forensic Science, it’s basically Speech (comes from Latin, meaning “of the forum” which is where public discourse would occur). So while you don’t get to examine the dead, you can do a speech, skit, or dramatic reading about death (or not)! Sounds fun, right? Right?!
Hi, I’m Ms. Pritchett, coach of our Forensics (aka Speech) team. My hope in writing this is to persuade you to join our team of speakers, thespians, and overall performers. Also, The Amazing Mrs. Duffy is my assistant coach, so that has to count for something!
I’m glad your intrigue has surpassed your initial disappointment thus far. I’m sure you’re wondering what exactly joining Forensics means. Well, as a participant, you’re basically doing either public speaking (writing an original speech for a specific audience about pretty much any topic) or performance of literature (either from memory as an actor, or reading from the literature itself- kind of like story time). You can read poems, short stories, act with a group of friends, be a radio news reporter, and more! It’s a great way to push yourself out of your comfort zone and try something new.
Besides those things, there are many other benefits of joining a public speaking team in high school. According to the National Speech and Debate Association, the top three reasons to join your high school’s team are to get over your fear of public speaking, improve your academic standing, and to use your voice to change the world. While these might be lofty goals, studies have shown that colleges look favorably on involvement in this activity, and that communication skills learned through this club have helped students thrive professionally.
There are a few reasons why I think you, as an HHS student, should consider joining our club:
- We have a very flexible season that you can easily add to your work, sports, academic, travel, etc. schedule. We have three meets total, and if you can’t attend one in-person, we have a virtual option as well! We ask you practice once a week, for 30 minutes or so, and we can make this work with YOUR schedule. Easy peasy!
- We are a supportive group. Looking to make new friends? This group is historically amazing, with unique people with diverse interests leading the way. You don’t have to be in drama or love English to excel here- no matter who you are, we want to help you grow!
- You can win some bling if you make it to state (which is at UW-Madison)! We also spend an afternoon on their campus and downtown on State Street by the Wisconsin State Capitol!
- Speech is a graduation requirement for seniors. What better way to feel confident as you prepare to conquer the senior speech class beast than practicing with one of the speech teachers?!
If any of this sounds appealing to you, please reach out to either me or Mrs. Duffy. You can also join our Google Classroom and get competition dates from us at any time. We’ll have an informational meeting during homeroom sometime before winter break, and we’d love to see you there!
