Ginnie Highsmith, Campus Carrier Staff Reporter
Berry’s Forensics Team won second place against 25 of some of the nation’s top forensics college and university teams at the Novice National Forensics Tournament in Dekalb, Ill. March 14-16.
Overall, the team brought home 19 awards, and sophomore Carson Kay won the individual national championship in Communication Analysis. Other individual event winners included freshmen Annabeth Crittenden, Jess Bozeman, Logan Ramsey, Michael Cheeves, Merrill Wood, Stephanie Schwartz and Zach Woodworth, and junior Matthew Klein.
The team has had a successful year with a big win at the Georgia Intercollegiate Forensic Association State Championship Tournament in February where they placed first. This win marked the 20th consecutive year that the team has won the state championship.
Randy Richardson, lecturer in the communication department and director of the team, said he was proud of the team’s success.
“I love it when our students are awarded for their hard work, and that’s exactly what happened this past weekend,” Richardson said.
This tournament, a novice national tournament, was for students who are competing in tournaments for the first year. Berry’s team took mainly freshmen to compete.
“It is great to think of the possibilities with this team since the majority of the students are freshmen,” Richardson said. “It is great to know that while we do have talented upperclassmen on the team, it is also just as great to know that in a couple of years we will still have talented and bright students continuing on this legacy.”
Freshman team member Merrill Wood said her experience with forensics has been valuable.
“I have learned how to formulate and shape my ideas in a way that people will be interested in and care about,” Wood said. “I’ve been given the tools to express the things that matter to me in a way that will impact others.”
Freshman Michael Cheeves, another team member, credited the team’s success with Richardson’s leadership and speaking and writing experience.
“It is great to be under the guidance and direction of someone who has an immense amount of experience and wants to help not only the team succeed but also the individual’s writing and speaking performance as well,” Cheeves said.