SOUTH WAYNE - The Black Hawk Forensics team closed out its 2008 season with a double-header weekend on April 18-19.
The team traveled to Madison for the annual Wisconsin High School Forensics Association state festival.
Twenty-one of 31 members of the team spoke at this qualifying event. At this festival, students speak one time for one judge for one score. They bring home pins based on these scores: a perfect score of 25 earns a gold pin; 23-24, a silver; a 20-21-22; a bronze and a 19 or below a "little" bronze. What a great way to end their seasons and careers as all seven seniors brought home gold pins and perfect scores of 25: Stephanie Pickett in serious solo acting; Fergus Chau in special occasion speaking; Tommy Butts, Mackenzie Hole, Becca Johnson, Derek Vosberg, and Amanda Walker in group interpretive reading. Others bringing home gold pins were Savannah Ernzen, Jordan Luhman, Sam Noble, and Tyler Quinn in play acting.
Earning scores of 24 and bringing home silver pins were Wade Wolff in moments in history; Jorden Rupnow in humorous solo acting; and Adrianna Hromadka and Nicole Kloepfer. Ou Zhong in prose reading, Thad Brenum in poetry, Michael Wolff in radio, and Adam Moore in four-minute also brought home silver pins with scores of 23. Molly Bechtolt and Christian Krahenbuhl each brought home bronze pins with 22 points.
The team then jumped on the bus and traveled to Oshkosh to compete in the Wisconsin Forensics Coaches' Association state tournament at Ripon College. Making semi-finals were Fergus Chau and Jordan Luhman. Advancing to the final power round was Chau, who eventually took first place out of 67 schools and 30 special occasion speakers, becoming the first Black Hawk state champion. To top it all off, Black Hawk brought home the fifth place trophy out of 22 schools.
The Forensics team held its final event - the annual awards banquet - on May 27. Seniors were recognized as they performed their pieces for the attendees; letters and National Forensics League degrees were announced; and awards and other honors were presented to the students for their hard work throughout the season. Receiving medals were: Thad Brenum, Freshman Achievement; Jorden Rupnow, Sophomore Achievement; Jordan Luhman, Junior Achievement; Fergus Chau, Senior Achievement and 25 Rating Award; and Adrianna Hromadka and Nicole Kloepfer, Most Improved. Receiving plaques for four years of team participation were Mackenzie Hole, Stephanie Pickett, and Amanda Walker. Plaques were also presented to the 2008 season NFL chapter officers: Stephanie Pickett, president; Amanda Walker, vice president; and Becca Johnson, recorder. Anthony Petitjean, former assistant coach and current judge, received the "Friend of Forensics" award for his dedication to this season's team. One final award, dedicated to the memory of Rosemary Peterson, late Black Hawk English teacher and Forensics coach, was awarded to the year's most valuable team member, Fergus Chau. The banquet closed with the announcement of next season's NFL officers, who are Jordan Luhman, president; Wade Wolff, vice president; and Savannah Ernzen, recorder.
The team traveled to Madison for the annual Wisconsin High School Forensics Association state festival.
Twenty-one of 31 members of the team spoke at this qualifying event. At this festival, students speak one time for one judge for one score. They bring home pins based on these scores: a perfect score of 25 earns a gold pin; 23-24, a silver; a 20-21-22; a bronze and a 19 or below a "little" bronze. What a great way to end their seasons and careers as all seven seniors brought home gold pins and perfect scores of 25: Stephanie Pickett in serious solo acting; Fergus Chau in special occasion speaking; Tommy Butts, Mackenzie Hole, Becca Johnson, Derek Vosberg, and Amanda Walker in group interpretive reading. Others bringing home gold pins were Savannah Ernzen, Jordan Luhman, Sam Noble, and Tyler Quinn in play acting.
Earning scores of 24 and bringing home silver pins were Wade Wolff in moments in history; Jorden Rupnow in humorous solo acting; and Adrianna Hromadka and Nicole Kloepfer. Ou Zhong in prose reading, Thad Brenum in poetry, Michael Wolff in radio, and Adam Moore in four-minute also brought home silver pins with scores of 23. Molly Bechtolt and Christian Krahenbuhl each brought home bronze pins with 22 points.
The team then jumped on the bus and traveled to Oshkosh to compete in the Wisconsin Forensics Coaches' Association state tournament at Ripon College. Making semi-finals were Fergus Chau and Jordan Luhman. Advancing to the final power round was Chau, who eventually took first place out of 67 schools and 30 special occasion speakers, becoming the first Black Hawk state champion. To top it all off, Black Hawk brought home the fifth place trophy out of 22 schools.
The Forensics team held its final event - the annual awards banquet - on May 27. Seniors were recognized as they performed their pieces for the attendees; letters and National Forensics League degrees were announced; and awards and other honors were presented to the students for their hard work throughout the season. Receiving medals were: Thad Brenum, Freshman Achievement; Jorden Rupnow, Sophomore Achievement; Jordan Luhman, Junior Achievement; Fergus Chau, Senior Achievement and 25 Rating Award; and Adrianna Hromadka and Nicole Kloepfer, Most Improved. Receiving plaques for four years of team participation were Mackenzie Hole, Stephanie Pickett, and Amanda Walker. Plaques were also presented to the 2008 season NFL chapter officers: Stephanie Pickett, president; Amanda Walker, vice president; and Becca Johnson, recorder. Anthony Petitjean, former assistant coach and current judge, received the "Friend of Forensics" award for his dedication to this season's team. One final award, dedicated to the memory of Rosemary Peterson, late Black Hawk English teacher and Forensics coach, was awarded to the year's most valuable team member, Fergus Chau. The banquet closed with the announcement of next season's NFL officers, who are Jordan Luhman, president; Wade Wolff, vice president; and Savannah Ernzen, recorder.
