Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama and senior Olivia Adubofour all have one thing in common: their incredible abilities to speak well.

Great speakers like these are what inspire the WS Forensics team to reach for the stars.

“We just did GMU. It’s an invitational and we had a small team go; we only had two events entered,” said sophomore Grayce Angle.

The forensics team has had a lot of success in the recent years. They go to States almost every year and have come very close to winning the entire thing. They compete in ten different categories of one to two people depending on the event. And the WS team happens to be good at all of them.

“I compete in declamation,” said Adubofour, “where I have to memorize someone else’s speech and give it in about ten minutes.”

Another event that they have seen success in has been in the creative event of writing your own speeches.

“I competed it an original oratory, where you write your own speech,” said sophomore John Camerella. The skills that the forensics team practices have more uses than just on stage. They take the lessons they have learned and apply them to everyday life.

“In English when we have to write [prompted] essays it’s easier for me. Everything just flows better,” said senior Ashley Moore.

Team members know how to take advantage of Forensics to help further their own successes in more than one way.

“It has opened so many doors for me in communication and I can get up in front of my church and give sermons to hundreds of people. The power of communication is so important,” said Adubofour.

All of the success in competition the forensics team has earned isn’t the only tangible reward the students receive. They get a personal prize just for doing what they love.

“It’s definitely really rewarding to know that I came into high school and found something I like to do,” said Adubofour.

Overall, the hard work done by the forensics team has really paid off for them this time. They acknowledge all of their success, but they can’t rest on their laurels quite yet with Regionals just around the corner. They hope to continue their winning spell throughout the rest of the year.

“I just get up there and have fun. I try not to make it too serious. I don’t have any tricks like pending that my audience is in their underwear or anything. I just go out and have fun,” said Aduborfor.