West Kentucky Community and Technical College’s Speech and Debate Team recently took first place as the top community college in the state at the 2014 Kentucky Forensic Association state tournament.
“I am proud yet humbled by our accomplishments. This award would not have happened without the dedication of my competitors, the support from my department dean, Sharla Hutchinson, and WKCTC President Dr. Veazey,” said Dr. Karen Hill Johnson, WKCTC communications instructor and forensics director. “With their support, we were able to represent WKCTC and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System in a professional manner while gaining confidence in public address, time management, critical thinking, communication, and leadership skills.”
The competition, held at Gateway Community and Technical College (GCTC) in northern Kentucky February 21-22, brought nine community and technical colleges and universities from across the state to compete in the two-day event. WKCTC competed against GCTC and Owensboro Community and Technical College. Other competing teams represented Western Kentucky University (winning university), Murray State University, University of Kentucky, Berea College, Transylvania University, and University of the Cumberlands.
Each college competed in a variety of categories including parliamentary debate, informative speaking, dramatic interpretation, after dinner speaking, editorial impromptu speaking, impromptu speaking, rhetorical criticism, persuasive speaking, duo interpretation, prose, programmed oral interpretation, radio broadcasting, poetry, and extemporaneous speaking.
In addition to WKCTC’s top award, student competitors also won several individual awards.
Riko Herrera-Castillo of Mayfield won the top Novice Informative Award and fifth place for the overall informative category. He shared second place for the Community College Debate Award with fellow teammate Justin Jackson of Paducah and the top Community College Informative Speaking Award with teammate Lexi Shelton, also of Paducah. Jackson also took home top the Community College Extemporaneous Award.
Paducah’s Maximillian Curry won fourth place overall in the radio broadcasting category and the top Community College Poetry Award.
The WKCTC team now prepares to compete in the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament March 20-23, 2014, at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis in Indianapolis, Ind.