BCFU Wins 25th Consecutive State Championship
On February 23, Berry College Forensics Union won on their 25th consecutive Georgia Intercollegiate Forensics Association Team State Championship!
Twenty-three BCFU members traveled to the University of North Georgia at Gainesville for the GIFA State Tournament. For the first time ever, Berry competitors took first place in every individual event and won 46 individual awards. Additionally, junior Anna Claire Tucker and senior Olivia Brown qualified to represent Georgia at the Interstate Oratory Contest – a national persuasive speaking contest – in April.
This 25th consecutive championship means that BCFU has won GIFA since the tournament was founded in 1995. For context, here’s a glimpse at what was happening at Berry in 1995:
Dean Slade was a member of the forensics team
Students at Berry spent an average of $8.47 each month on VHS rentals
Roller blading around campus was a favorite hobby of many students
Thomas Berry was renovated from a traditional men’s dorm to suite-style living
Dance Aerobics was a popular fitness class offered in Richards Gym
A full list of BCFU awards is below:
Persuasive Speaking
Anna Claire Tucker – Champion
Olivia Brown – 2ndplace
Vanessa Fowler – 3rdplace
Poetry Interpretation
Shelby Newland – Champion
Madison Capeling – 2nd place
Sarah Baker – 3rdplace
After Dinner Speaking
Kathleen Minor – Champion
Margaret Ashton – 2ndplace
Kandra Martin – 3rdplace
Dramatic Interpretation
Ben Allee – Champion
Avery James – 2ndplace
Nadia Clinkscales – 3rdplace
Duo Interpretation
Madison Capeling and Shelby Newland – Champions
Sara Arms and Zoe Robinson – 2ndplace
Erika Becerra and Colton Wilson – 3rdplace
Informative Speaking
Annie Dietz – Champion
Beth Anne DeKeizer – 2ndplace
Colton Wilson – 3rdplace
Program Oral Interpretation
Noah Syverson – Champion
Rachel Heiter – 2ndplace
Avery James – 3rdplace
Rhetorical Criticism
Jacob Pritchett – 1stplace
Avery James – 2ndplace
Kathleen Minor – 3rdplace
Impromptu Sales
Jacob Pritchett – Champion
Kandra Martin – 2ndplace
Colton Wilson – 3rdplace
Extemporaneous Speaking
Jacob Pritchett – Champion
Kandra Martin – 2ndplace
Annie Dietz – 4thplace
Prose Interpretation
Sara Arms – Champion
Hannah Draut – 2ndplace
Erika Becerra – 4thplace
Slam Poetry
Shelby Newland – Champion
Sarah Baker – 2ndplace
Kathleen Minor – 3rdplace
Public Narrative
Madison Capeling – Champion
Zoe Robinson – 4thplace
Anjali Reddy – 5thplace
Impromptu Speaking
Jacob Pritchett – Champion
Ben Allee – 5thplace
Anjali Reddy – 7thplace