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What is the Groves Forensic Team all
about?
We compete in Individual Events - an academic sport
that involves many of the aspects of Drama, Theater, Acting, Public
Speaking, Debate, and Speech. There is something for everyone in Forensics.
Students prepare a presentation in one of the following categories for
competition at tournaments throughout the second semester. (Taking the
Forensic class helps prepare you for the team, but it is not required
to be on the Team.)
There are two divisions of categories in Forensics: Public Address and
Interpretation
: Public Address Categories
Impromptu - Students are given a general topic that to be researched
throughout the year, and they have 5 minutes to compose and deliver
an opinionated response to an editorial.
Examples: Affirmative Action topics, Sports Issues in America, Africa,
US Politics
Extemporaneous - Students have research files and are given a choice
of questions at the tournament. They have 30 minutes to write a 4-7
minute speech answering the question.
Example: Should the US impose greater sanctions on Iraq? (or) Will China
ever become a Democracy?
Media Broadcasting - Students are given a pile of news reports(copy)
and have 30 minutes to cut the information down to a 5 minute broadcast
which they then deliver, including an original Editorial.
Informative - Students research a particular topic and write a speech
(including visual aids) that will inform the audience about their topic.
Examples: Insomnia, Leeches, A Brief History of Underwear, Tears, Karaoke,
Hot Dogs
Oratory - Students research a topic and write a speech that serves to
persuade or inspire the audience.
Examples: The Poverty of Wealth, Road Rage, Health Care Reform, A Call
for Citizenship, Lead Poisoning
Sales - Choose a real product, write and deliver a speech that convinces
the audience to buy that product.
Examples: Jelly Belly beans, Swiffer, Apple Computers, Joe Boxer Clothing,
Build-a-Bear, U.S. Savings Bonds
Interpretation Categories:
Poetry - Students memorize and deliver a 5-8 minute selection of Poetry
in competition.
Prose - Students deliver a 5-8 minute selection of fiction or non-fiction
in Prose format
Dramatic - Students memorize and deliver a 5-8 minute selection from
a play or screenplay.
Storytelling - Students memorize and deliver a 5-8 minute selection
from children’s literature.
Duo - Two students memorize and deliver a 7-10 minute interactive selection
from any genre.
Multiple - 3-8 students perform an interactive selection of material,
similar to a one-act play.
** There are also 2 additional categories every year that are only open
to 9th and 10th graders. This year they are Informative (9/10) and Duo
Interpretation (9/10)
The Groves Forensic team has between 7 and 12 competitions
every year, often 1-day trips within and across the state of Michigan.
Over the past 15 years, the Groves Forensic team has placed no lower
than 6th place overall at the State Finals tournament, including being
one of only three teams in state history to win 3 consecutive Class
A State championships (90,91,92). Last season, with over 60 team members,
Groves finished 3rd place out of 128 schools, with 35+ students qualified
to compete at the State level.
Tryouts for the Groves Forensic team are in mid-October. Information will be posted in September. Spots on the team ARE limited, but over 25 9th/10th graders made the cut last season.
For more information, the 2005-2006 team Co-Captains or one of the coaches at the addresses below.
Team Assistant Coaches:
John Lawson (jl@grovesforensics.org)
Barbara Shaheen (babs@grovesforensics.org)
Becca Weissman (becca@grovesforensics.org),
Team co-captains (captains@grovesforensics.org)
2005-2006 Team Captains:
Kyle Holton
John Lin
Alex Pasquinelli
Ben Pearlman
Eric Salinger