If the idea of speaking in front of an audience makes your hands sweat, your heart pound and your knees weak, then you are not alone. Seventy-five percent of Americans report having a fear of public speaking—beating out fear of spiders, fear of the dark and even fear of death.
There is a group of Lake Orion High School students, however, that is not afflicted with glossophobia, the fear of public speaking. They are members of the Forensics Team.
Forty-five Class A schools were represented at the State Forensics Tournament held at Central Michigan University on May 2-3. Students qualified in one of 14 events. Events ranged from storytelling, poetry and dramatic interpretation, to oratory, sales and informative.
After an arduous journey through the district and regional tournaments, only the top 20 students in each category from across the state qualify to compete at the state level.
Lake Orion had five students advance through districts and regionals to make it to the coveted state finals. Kristin Limback and Veronica Topolewski, both freshmen, qualified in sales. Casey Wright qualified in poetry, and two students qualified for the tournament for a second year in a row, Caroline Nantais in dramatic interpretation, and Ian Spear in oratory.
At the end of the day on May 3, Wright and Limback brought home eighth place plaques. Spear, for the second year in a row, brough home a fifth place trophy, and Topolewski broke a school record when she brought home a third place trophy. This is the highest placement of any Lake Orion Forensicator.
The team came in 14th place out of the 45 schools in attendance.