The Linfield College forensics team competed against 19 schools during the 2013 Western States Forensics Tournament Feb. 15-17 in Reno, Nev.
Competitors represented institutions from Oregon, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada and Wyoming. The tournament featured six preliminary rounds of British parliamentary debate and two preliminary rounds with a final round in each of the 11 individual events. Sophomore Megan Schwab of Boise, Idaho, and junior Clara Martinez of Monroe, Wash., were finalists in British parliamentary debate. Junior Michael Zier of Klamath Falls and freshman Austin Jack Browning of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, were also finalists in British parliamentary debate. Freshman Claudia Lester of Reno, Nev., and freshman Reanna Haling of Sun Valley, Nev., received third place in duo competition. Lester also placed fourth in poetry interpretation, first in the junior division and third in open persuasive speaking.
Four of the students, Martinez, Schwab, Zier and Browning were also featured presenters on a panel at the Western States Communication Association convention, “Going Global with Digital Debates: A Roundtable Discussion on Conducting Live Debates Online using Skype.”
“The students performed well against some of the best competition in the West,” said Jackson Miller, director of forensics and professor of communication arts. “I am especially proud of the four students who spoke at the academic conference. That was very well received.”
The Linfield forensics team is one of the oldest in the country and focuses on competitive speech and debate. For more information about Linfield forensics, contact Miller at 503-883-2625, jmiller@linfield.edu.
