Bethany Schram
Assistant News Editor
The Florida Southern Forensics team ended the year at the Pi Kappa Delta National Championship, ranking highly within the competition.
Individually, juniors Alex Watson and Katie Luecht lead the team at the Pi Kappa Delta Championship.
Watson received a Superior and third-place ranking in After Dinner Speaking, and Luecht earned an Excellence in Persuasive Speaking, Impromptu Speaking, and After Dinner Speaking.
“It feels absolutely wonderful to have placed third out of 93 competitors. It was my first Pi Kappa Delta tournament, and I am so honored to know my speech was liked so much,” Watson said. “I went into this tournament with a positive and relaxed attitude. I knew this was my last tournament of the year and my last one with Dr. Fenner, so I went in it just wanting to have fun, but I ended up doing amazingly.”
The team prepares throughout the year, attending practices about once a week.
“Competitions consist of anxiety, excitement, laughs, smiles, nice hotels, good food and little sleep,” Watson said. “My favorite part about speaking competitively is watching people’s reactions to what I’m saying. I like to see that what I have to say affects them.”
FSC offers classes in Forensics, though most of its members joined because of their interest in public speaking and were encouraged by Dr. Christopher Fenner, director of the Forensics program.
Though the team will be losing their advisor Dr. Fenner, they are happy to have performed so well during competitions.
“The fact that Dr. Fenner is leaving makes me sad. He is the reason I’m on the team and am doing so well,” Watson said. “He brings such a positive energy to the whole competition atmosphere, and with his constant jokes keeps everyone happy throughout the nerve-racking tournament.”
According to Kelsey Clum, freshman Forensics team member, “in a lot of forensics teams, everyone takes it very seriously. Our team is special, we are very creative and Dr. Fenner has encouraged that with everyone. We take it personally and have fun with it.”
Lacie Brown will be working with the Forensics team next year, an alumna of FSC.
“I am happy to know that Lacie Brown is replacing him because she is a great coach. In addition, she learned all that she knows from Dr. Fenner,” Watson said. “She was on the Forensics team at FSC while receiving her undergraduate degree. I look forward to next year.”
