This page is no longer being updated and remains online for informational and historical purposes only. The information is accurate as of the last page update.
For questions about page contents, contact the Communications Division.
Forensics Society placed first in speech among a field of schools from around the nation at a tournament held at Webster State University in St. Louis this past weekend. Lafayette competed against 34 other colleges and universities, including last year’s second-ranked school.
This is the second tournament victory of the season for Forensics Society, which in November won a tournament hosted by Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H.
“This was a really great weekend for us,” says Scott Placke, director of forensics. “The team stepped it up and demonstrated that it can compete on a national level.”
Marquis Scholar Rachel Heron ’09 (Downingtown, Pa.) was ranked as the tournament’s third-place speaker. Her presentation of “little lives in a big city” earned first place in poetry reading. She and Marquis Scholar Mark Kokoska ’08 (Bloomsburg, Pa.) took first place with their dramatic duo presentation of Larry Harris’ Answering the Echo. Heron also earned fifth place in dramatic interpretation with Linda Griffiths’ Alien Creature and improvisational duo with Bill O’Brien ’07 (Elmont, N.Y.). She also competed in prose reading with Anne Redish Stampler’s “Billy Flame’s Wife,” dramatic duo with Trustee Scholar Beth Wehler ’09 (Gettysburg, Pa.), and after-dinner speaking.
“I was incredibly proud of the team as a competitive force and social unit this weekend,” says Heron. “I was excited to see a true, Midwest big-time debate tournament combined with an impressive [individual event] pool. I was especially proud of the duo’s performance.”
O’Brien, a history major, was ranked as the tournament’s sixth-place speaker. In addition to his event with Heron, he took second place in informative speech with his discussion of the advantages, disadvantages, and implications of Rapex, a new female condom designed to immobilize rapists. His discussion of racial implications of the cartoon character Memín Pinguín in Mexico earned third place in rhetorical criticism. He and Marquis Scholar Amy Solomito ’09 (Coopersburg, Pa.) placed sixth in dramatic duo. O’Brien also competed in after-dinner speaking with his discussion of problems and solutions of plagiarism and persuasive speech with an argument in support of surveillance cameras in public transportation areas.
“This was another great weekend for our team that we should all be proud of,” says O’Brien. “In individual events, we all gave great performances to be happy about.”
Adding to his first-place finish with Heron, Kokoska took third in extemporaneous speech by answering the question “Are the Democrats sacrificing national security by asking for a reduction in [George W.] Bush’s presidential power?” The computer science major also was a double octa-finalist (among the top 32) in Lincoln-Douglas debate and an octa-finalist (among the top 16) in parliamentary debate with Trustee Scholar Joe Dudek ’09 (Honeoye Falls, N.Y.). Dudek also competed in impromptu speech, prose reading, and Lincoln-Douglas debate.
In addition to her sixth-place dramatic duo finish with O’Brien, Solomito took second in rhetorical criticism with her analysis of the UNICEF anti-war ad airing in Europe depicting the destruction of a Smurf village by an air strike. She also took sixth in persuasive speech with an argument in support of the over-the-counter sale of emergency contraception and competed in dramatic duo with Marquis Scholar and history and government & law double major Christian Dato ’07 (Poway, Calif.). Dato was an octa-finalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate and competed in parliamentary debate with Wehler. Wehler also competed in Lincoln-Douglas debate and extemporaneous speech.
“I am extremely proud of everyone for all the hard work we put in, and I feel that we really came together as a team this weekend,” says Solomito. “Our immense success would not have been possible without the talent and effort put forth by all.”
“I want to note how successful our debate tactics have allowed us to be,” says Dato. “I’m glad we were able to continue expanding into new regions, meeting new people, and learning news styles of debate.”
“This past weekend provided the team an excellent opportunity to see midwestern debate and style,” says Wehler. “It was a fantastic learning experience. I’m very proud of the team, and I hope we’ll continue to do well the rest of the year.”
Placke and John Boyer, debate coach, accompanied the team.
Forensics Society’s next tournament will be at Suffolk University in Boston Feb. 11-12.
Forensics Society members are active in other campus groups as well.
Dato is president of Haven, secretary of Social Gaming Network (SGN) and History Club, and a member of College Democrats.
Kokoska is president of Table Tennis Club and vice president of Haven and SGN.
O’Brien is president of Dry Surfers, a member of Newman Association, and a tour guide for the admissions office.
Heron is a member of Newman Association, College Democrats, and volunteers with Landis Community Outreach Center’s Spanish Club for Kids. She also writes for The Lafayette.
Dudek is a member of Tennis Club, Table Tennis Club, Concert Band, and College Choir.
Wehler is a member of College Orchestra and College Democrats.
Solomito is a member of Crew Club.
Prior tournament reports