This past weekend, the Lott Leadership Institute hosted a high school forensics tournament onthe campus of the University of Mississippi. 328 students from 24 schools participated in thetwo-day event.
The tournament was comprised of several categories including events in theinterpretation of literature, limited preparation speaking, storytelling, and various styles ofdebate.
The tournament allowed students to “break down speech topics and literature and createarguments with them,” according to Director of Forensics JoAnn Edwards.
“The speeches were based on research and required a lot of practice and rehearsal,” Edwards said. “The competitors were then evaluated by judges who determined their strengths and weaknesses in communication.”
Edwards emphasized that the weekend was a successful recruitment tool.
“The tournament is not only a valuable recruiting tool for the department, but also allowsstudents to get to know and engage with the campus,” Edwards said.
Win or lose, Edwards believes that the success of the event cannot be reduced to scores.
“The main point is to encourage these students to be better communicators and to make thembetter advocates for change,” Edwards said.
Currently, the Stennis Center at Mississippi State University and the Lott Leadership Institute atthe University of Mississippi are the only two collegiate programs in the state that host highschool speech and debate tournaments.
Mississippi State University holds a novice tournament, which is aimed at freshmen. On the other hand, the University of Mississippi hosts the only full-scale tournament in the statethat “incorporates people doing a variety of events, not just novices.”
In addition to awards given for excellence in singular events, competitors and schools competefor sweepstakes and scholarship awards.
The Rose Bui Memorial Scholarship, an individual sweepstakes award, is given to the studentwho does the best in three events in memory of a deceased team member from Biloxi,Mississippi.
Schools who have the most students advancing to final rounds of competition are honored withsweepstakes awards.The top school receives the the Glenn Menna Traveling Sweepstakes Award named in honor ofGlenn Menna, the former Director of Forensics at Lawrence County High School.
Madison Central High School received this year’s Menna Sweekstakes Award and Israel Lyonsof Hattiesburg High School was honored with the Bui Award for individual excellence.
