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Led by Trustee Scholarship recipient Erik Heins ’05 (Center Moriches, N.Y.) and his four first-place awards, the Forensics Society took third place among 18 teams competing at the third annual Skyline Spectacular tournament hosted by New York University Nov. 15-16.
Lafayette has finished second or third in its last four forensics events; each of the past three included 17 or 18 teams. Those competing at NYU included Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania.
“I was very proud to see that even with more qualified and [intense] scrutiny by more experienced judges, our team still made a wonderful showing at the tournament,” says Heins. “It shows that we’ve really grown as a team — not just to be successful, but to be consistently successful regardless of circumstance. That says a lot about our team’s competitive level, and is a marked improvement over the past few years.”
A double major in philosophy and government & law, Heins won the extemporaneous speech, impromptu speech, and Lincoln-Douglas debate events. He also was named first-place debate speaker.
“Erik had a great weekend,” says Scott Placke, director of forensics. “To take home four first-place awards is [incredible]. He is an amazing competitor who is rocking the forensics community.”
Lincoln-Douglas debate placement is based on rounds won, while speaker awards are based on total points earned in preliminary rounds. Lincoln-Douglas is a persuasive policy debate on traditional stock issues. Competitors are evaluated on their analysis, use of evidence, and ability to effectively and persuasively organize, deliver, and refute arguments. The debate topic focuses on whether the federal government should place regulations on industrial pollution.
In impromptu speech, Heins’ final round quotation was by Stuart Davis: “I know the fruit of Hades is bad for me, but I keep incarnating because it tastes so sweet.” His final round extemporaneous question was, “What role should international corporations play in developing oil fields in northern Russia?”
Impromptu speech contestants receive short excerpts dealing with general interest topics or political, economic, or social issues. They have seven minutes to divide between preparation and speaking, but must speak for at least three minutes. In extemporaneous speech, contestants select one of three topics on current national and international issues or events and have 30 minutes to prepare a speech of five to seven minutes on it.
Marquis Scholar Christian Dato ’07 (Poway, Calif.) made it to the debate semifinals and was named third-place debate speaker. He also competed in dramatic duo with both Marquis Scholar Colby Block ’06 (Boca Raton, Fla.), a government and law major, and Heins, and in impromptu speech. In dramatic duo, two individuals read lines from a play involving two or more characters.
“The solid community and the challenging competition of the tournament, combined with the sights, sounds, and smells of the city, worked to make this weekend a most memorable one,” says Dato. “Once again, our debaters made an astounding impact, even with so few entries.”
Block was a debate semifinalist, the sixth-place debate speaker, and a competitor in dramatic duo with Dato and in impromptu speech.
“At the end of each tournament, I find myself more and more amazed at my teammates — both as competitors and as mentors,” she says. “They are such an awesome group of individuals. I’d also like to thank my coaches — they’re a great bunch who make speech and debate a family event.”
Government and law major Joe Borland ’06 (Wilkes Barre, Pa.) took sixth place in extemporaneous speech and competed in impromptu speech.
Bill O’Brien ’07 (Elmont, N.Y.) participated in persuasion, poetry reading, and prose reading.
“I was very proud of how our team did,” he says. “I learned a lot of valuable things that will definitely help me improve in the future.”
Marquis Scholar Kim Moore ’06 (Longwood, Fla.), a psychology major, competed in extemporaneous speech, informative speech, and persuasion.
Neuroscience major Amanda VanBuskirk ’06 (Bangor, Pa.) squared off in impromptu speech and prose reading.
The students were accompanied by Placke; Jon Honiball, debate coach; and history graduate Rachel Korpanty ’03, a Forensics Society alumna.
Lafayette has won 76.7 percent of the 116 rounds in which students have competed this season, according to Honiball.
“Every week, each competitor on the team continues to excel,” he says. “I wish I could take credit for this, but it is all the students’ responsibility. For example, it was Erik and Christian helping to prepare Colby for her semifinal round. I enjoy seeing team members coaching each other and sharing in the research burden. It is special to see and I am excited about the future of this team.”
Forensics Society’s next competition will be Ohio State University’s Holiday Frolic Dec. 5-6.
In addition to devoting significant time to Forensics Society and their studies, the students are active in other campus activities.
Block is working with Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli to create a Youth Court Program. She is forensics secretary, a supervisor for Recreational Services, and Student Life representative for Student Government, for which she formerly served as public relations chair. She is adviser for and a former member of Freshman Class Council. Block is in her second year as a member of the Dance Team and is choreographer for the spring production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, by the Marquis Players, a student group that produces an annual musical for charity. She played the role of Johnny in last year’s College Theatre production of The Club. She also belongs to Delta Delta Delta sorority.
O’Brien is co-president of Residence Hall Council, a DJ on student-run radio station WJRH, and a member of the school newspaper staff, the Arts Society, and Marquis Players.
Moore is president of the Dry Surfers, a special-interest living group whose members share interests in technology and a substance-free lifestyle, is a member of College Democrats and the Psychology Club, and plays violin in the orchestra.
Dato is a member of Residence Hall Council, College Democrats, Lafayette Christian Fellowship, and Haven, a student group stressing an alcohol- and drug-free lifestyle.
Heins is a member of the fencing team and Haven.
Past forensics competitions:
Nov. 8, St. Anselm College
Nov. 1-2, Bloomsburg University
Oct. 18-19, Towson University
Oct. 10-11, West Chester University
Sept. 19-20, Purdue University and Sept. 27, Bloomsburg Novice Tournament
2002-03 National Tournament