From Great Bend High School Forensics coach Kim Heath...
Great Bend High School won 6th place in the 5A KSHSAA State Forensics Tournament at Valley Center, Kansas on May 6, 2023. The team worked tirelessly this season to prepare for the competition and their hard work paid off. Eleven Panthers competed across 16 different events with nine students advancing to the semi-final round and four placing in the top six.
"I am incredibly proud of our forensics team. Their hard work, dedication, and attention to detail through the rehearsal process created outstanding performances," said coach Kim Heath. "They represented our community by showcasing their talents and skills to the fullest extent."
In addition to the students who advanced, the other team members also performed admirably. Even though Chrisangel Adame, Milena Carbajal, Quinton Heath and Reese King did not break into elimination rounds, they earned valuable points for the Panthers, contributing to their overall success.
Semi-finalists included Darcy Feist who placed 8th in Oration. Eave Taylor was 9th in POI and Anna Bitter finished 7th. Placing 10th were Thomas Henrikson and Eave Taylor in Duo Interpretation and Xanna Smith in Dramatic interpretation
Four Panther forensics students were named finalists and earned medals on the big stage. Sophomore, Darcy Feist finished in 5th place in Program of Oral Interpretation. Junior, Thomas Henrikson won 4th place in Humorous Interpretation with a humorous sketch called “No Substitute.” Senior, Maddix Pokorski showed off his critical thinking and analytical skills by placing 4th in International Extemp. Senior, Alondra Alvarez won 3rd place in Prose Interpretation with a story entitled, “It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way.”
At the same time as the State Championship team was competing at Valley Center, the Panthers were being represented at Wichita Southeast at the KSHSAA State
Festival. The goal of each student at the State Festival was to receive a 1 or a 2 rating for their performance.
Nine out of ten of the competitors for Great Bend received a 1 rating and earned a medal. They were recognized for an outstanding presentation with few technical errors. The 1 rating is reserved for a truly outstanding performance.
Ellie Damm and Lea Nokes both received a 1 rating in Dramatic Interpretation. Ailey Williams and Hannah Hopkins worked together on a Duo Interpretation which received a 1 rating. Theo Hopkinson-Smith read a Poetry piece and received a 1 rating, while Chanler Riley earned a 2 for his Program of Interpretation.
Great Bend students also excelled in speaking events. Danica Cline earned a 1 rating in Informative Speaking and Keaton Kruckenberg received a 1 rating for Impromptu Speaking. Kruckenberg and Hopkins also both earned 1 ratings in Extemporaneous Speaking.
With the State Championship in their rearview mirror, the GBHS Panthers officially end their season for the 2023 school year. The eight national qualifiers from Great Bend High School will spend the next month developing their skills and perfecting their performances for the National Speech and Debate Association national tournament this June in Phoenix, Arizona. The upcoming trip to Nationals will carry significant financial costs. If you would like to help the team, the team can accept donations sent via check to Great Bend High School at 2027 Morton, Great Bend, KS 67530.