W. E. Groves High School Class A Forensic Champs!

The W.E. Groves High School Forensic team earned the title of State Champions for Class A division schools at the Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association Individual Events competition held at Eastern Michigan University April 28-29, 2017.

The Groves Forensic team is coached by Mrs. Hayley McKinney and Mr. John W. Rutherford, both teachers at W.E. Groves High School. This is the first time that the team has finished first in the State since 1993. The team included 41 students from W.E. Groves High School who competed in 14 different individual events.

Four students also achieved first place finishes in their individual events: seniors Kendall Hall (West Bloomfield) and Halle Tilotti (West Bloomfield), junior Victoria Lurz (Franklin) and sophomore Lauren Emerick (Beverly Hills).

The team began working on their individual events in January and started competing in early February. Forensic tournaments are held throughout the months of February and March across the state of Michigan. The Groves forensic team competed at five tournaments in an effort to prepare the students for the regional and State competition. The maximum number of students any school can have participate in the individual events State competition is 28. Groves High School competed with a full team; 21 of the 28 individual competitors advanced to the final round on Saturday, April 29, 2017.

Forensic competition is a contest between individuals or teams in the areas of public address and oral interpretation. In the State of Michigan there are 14 different events ranging from prepared speeches (informative, oratory, sales), to limited prep speeches (extemporaneous, impromptu and broadcasting) and oral interpretation events (duo, dramatic interpretation, multiple, poetry, prose, storytelling). In addition, each year there are two events that run specifically for freshman/sophomore students known as 9/10 categories. For 2017 the 9/10 events included sales and dramatic interpretation.

All events are timed and must be performed within the parameter of a series of specifications and rules that have been established by the Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association (MIFA). Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association empowers students to become proficient and ethical communicators, critical thinkers, lifelong learners and leaders in a democratic society through interscholastic speech, theater and debate activities for middle and secondary school students. MIFA has been the governing body for speech activities in the state of Michigan since 1917. We are proud of our history, our heritage...and our members! We'll be adding more here as we gear up to celebrate our 100th birthday! Visit the official website for more information: http://www.themifa.org

20500 West Thirteen Mile Road, Beverly Hills. For more information, call 248/203-3580.

Individual Award winners include:

1st Place:

Kendall Hall-Impromptu

Victoria Lurz-Prose

Halle Tilotti-Dramatic Interpretation

Lauren Emerick-Sales 9/10

2nd Place:

Ashley Stewart-Prose

Olivia Reeves-Extemporaneous

Griffin Kozlow-Dramatic Interpretation 9/10

Casey Sherwood-Sales

Ryan Larson/Marshall Ross-Duo

3rd Place:

Zach Heaton-Impromptu

4th Place:

Ben Iverson-Broadcasting

Chance Stephenson-Extemporaneous

Paige Stearn-Storytelling

5th Place:

Jadyn Broomfield-Broadcasting

Sophie Dara-Informative

Cassie Delgado-Sales

Maddy Hardey-Sales 9/10

6th Place:

Harvey Reeves-Informative

Sophie Erlich-Oratory

Isaiah Johnson-Poetry

Lexy Schusterbrown-Dramatic Interpretation 9/10

Semifinalists:

Mia Ersher-Dramatic Interpretation

Scotty Lockwood-Storytelling

Quarter Finalist:

The Jungle Book-Multiple

(Misha Adler, Jordan Davis, Ruby Kolender, James Laport, Hope Tusman)

State competitors:

Jack Gross-Oratory

Beau Lerner/James Hardy-Duo

Emma Simonte-Poetry

Hercules-Multiple

(Megan Darby, Cameron Howell, Jacob Kroll, PJ Roberts, Brooklyn Scott, Hunter Stabile, Hailey VanWordragen, Becca Woodrow)