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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


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