PEORIA, IL, ST. LOUIS, MO, and ATHENS, OH – The Lafayette Forensics society traveled to three tournaments during the 2019 Winter Interim Session. On January 12th and 13th, the team participated in the Hell Froze Over Swing Tournament. Hosted by Bradley University in Peoria, IL, this tournament is the biggest and most difficult tournament of the year.  Teams from all over the country compete for the highest honors in preparation for the national tournament season.  The team brought 6 students, each of whom got valuable experience in their quest to improve. Despite not winning any awards, the team was able to spend some time in Chicago visiting Millenium Park, the Bean, and the Art Institute before returning to Pennsylvania.

During the weekend of January 26th, the team split sending our debaters to the national circuit Gorlok Gala at Webster University in St. Louis, MO and our speechies to the Ohio University Interstate Individual Events Tournament in Athens, OH. At the Gorlok Gala, our team brought 5 students and 42 schools were represented. The Gorlok Gala is the biggest debate tournament in the country.  More students competed in debate at this tournament than will compete at the national tournament in April.  This tournament is a defining moment in the season for debaters from all over the nation.  After a long three days of competition, we got the opportunity to stop by the arch on our way to the airport! Here are the results:

Gorlok Gala- Webster University:

Yordanos Mengistu – Semifinalist in Novice LD
Hank Scheffler – Quarterfinalist in JV LD
Luisa Gunn – Excellence Award in Persuasion

In Ohio, our team brought 4 students and 9 schools were represented. As an excellent warm-up to the spring semester season, the team won two events and placed well in several others.  While the debaters got to visit the Arch, the Ohio crew was exploring the winding roads of West Virginia.

Ohio University:

Saeed Malami – 1st Place in Duo, 1st Place in Drama, 2nd Place in Persuasion, and 3rd Place in POI
Kelly Mwaamba – 1st Place in Duo, 4th Place in Poetry, and 5th Place in Drama
Scott Kamen – 5th Place in Rhetorical Criticism
Eleanor Griffiths – 6th Place in After Dinner Speaking

Additionally Saeed took 2nd Place in Individual Sweepstakes!

The Lafayette Forensics Society had a great opening to 2019 and is ready for the Spring Semester!  Next up: Ithaca, James Madison, and the Pennsylvania Forensic Association’s championship tournament!