On Saturday, January 21, the Iola High School forensics team traveled to Girard, Kansas, to compete. The meet included Prose (short stories), Poetry, Serious Solo Acting, Humorous Solo Acting, Improvised Duet Acting (IDA), Informative Speech, Original Oration, and Impromptu speeches. Iola placed second as a team, with the addition of many individual awards.

Freshman Lexie Vega considers forensics “crazy” and “exciting.” She and her partner, freshman Allie Fager, placed first place in IDA and qualified for state, which is held in May. “It was crazy and exciting. We didn’t think we did that good at all,” she commented. “Competing is my favorite part, and being around people who share similar interests.”

“I was a little nervous my first year, but you get used to it pretty quickly and it just becomes a regular thing,” third-year player, junior Morgan Jett says. The forensics team will split and compete in two tournaments on Saturday, January 28; one in Parsons and one in Neodesha, Kansas.

Note: All first and second places have qualified for state in May.

Prose:

1st – Aaron Terhune

2nd – Ella Taylor

3rd – Lexie Vega

5th – Morgan Jett

Poetry:

1st – Mia Aronson

4th – Persephone Means

SSA: Serious Solo Acting

2nd – Persephone Means

5th – Glenn Riddle

HSA: Humorous Solo Acting

4th – Allie Fager

5th – River Hess

Duet:

5th – Gaby Lampe and Sadrie Overall

IDA: Improvised Duet Acting

1st – Allie Fager and Lexie Vega

2nd – Caleb Spencer and Quentin Mallete

3rd – Allie Utley and River Hess

4th – Gaby Lampe and Ethan Boyer

Informative Speech:

1st – Aaron Terhune

3rd – Isaiah Wicoff

Original Oration:

6th – Glenn Riddle

7th – Abby Valentine

Impromptu Speech:

6th – Isaiah Wicoff