By Jane DeGeorge
Published: March 20, 2008

Death, spiders and blood all fall behind public speaking as the country’s No. 1 fear, according to national surveys.

Members of Madison County High School’s Forensics Team are well aware of this statistic. Their coach, MCHS drama teacher Donald Hitt, often reminds them of it in an effort to reassure the high school students that their reservations about the team’s focus – the art of public speaking and debate – are normal.

At the beginning of each school year, the team tends to be quiet and reserved, according to Hitt.

“So many of the students come in here and they have the talent, they just don’t have the confidence yet,” the team’s coach said.

Hitt recently recalled a story of one of his former students that “literally hugged the curtain” during the team’s try-outs which involved speaking while standing on the MCHS stage. When Hitt posted the names of those who had made the team that year, the shy student couldn’t believe her name was included, he said.

“By the end she was a two-time state champion and now she’s running her own business in Richmond,” Hitt said.

Throughout the school year, the forensics team meets most days after school to practice and critique each other’s speech and debate skills. The warm-up involves “shaking off the day” with a little dancing in place, exercising facial muscles and reciting sentences such as “unique New York” and “How now brown cow,” to improve elocution.

Overcoming fears

Performing in front of huge crowds during the various forensics league competitions across the state and country is what really pushes the students to overcome their fears, according to one of the forensics team’s current captains, MCHS senior Ena Scott.

The competitions are broken down into several categories including presenting both original speeches and interpretations of writings by other authors.

“You really boost your confidence by competing, whether you win or lose. Just learning that messing up doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the world,” Ena said.

Most of the events involve a single person on stage, although one category allows a double performance and another allows a prop.

“You don’t have the entire ensemble, like in a play,” said MCHS junior Rory Squire, who recently received first place in original oratory at both the Virginia Christian Forensics League State Tournament and the Bull Run Tournament. “If you mess up, there’s nobody to carry you.”

It can take a little while for some of the students to get comfortable even speaking in front of their fellow students. Some of the newer members are known for putting off presenting their speeches to the team during practice until the last minute, according to MCHS Forensics Team Assistant Coach Kate LaRoue, who teaches English and history at the high school.

“I’m kind of known for stalling. I find it very hard to perform in front of people because I get very nervous,” said MCHS student Grace Jablonski, who recently came in third place in prose at the Bull Run Tournament last month.

For some students, public speaking comes naturally. Toni-ann Gamble, who transferred to MCHS in the middle of the school year, first joined the forensics team in January. Two weeks later she started competing, eventually placing sixth in duo performance alongside fellow student Christian Brown at the Virginia Christian Forensics League State Tournament earlier this month.

Although the team and its members have racked up numerous awards over the years, Hitt has found that the students don’t measure their success by the number of trophies or plaques they bring home.

“Just the fact that they get up there and do it, that’s their success. Their confidence is borne out of the realization that they can do it,” he said.

Team repeats success

The MCHS Forensics Team was first started sometime in the 1970s, however 1987 marked the first year the team has been in continuous existence, according to Hitt, whose MCHS classroom is filled with numerous trophies the team has received over the years.

“It was probably three years before we started to go to many other invitationals and started going full force,” he said.

Each year the Madison County team competes at various locations around the state as well as traveling to different locations across the country to compete in national competitions.

Last month, five of the 18-member team headed up north to Cambridge, Mass. to compete in the Harvard University National Speech and Debate Tournament, one of the largest speech and debate tournaments in the country with 328 participating teams. Although, the team as a whole did not place in the competition, most of the participating students received recognition for their speeches.

MCHS recently place first overall at both the Virginia Christian Forensics League State Tournament and the Bull Run Tournament, as well as taking home numerous individual awards. At the Virginia Christian Forensics League March 1 competition, seven MCHS students, including David Jarrell, Ena Scott, Nathan Berry, Ian Kulengski, Tyler Coppage, Rory Squire and Claire Jackson, qualified to go on to the national tournament in Appleton, Wis. Student Maggie Valliant qualified as an alternate to go to the national tournament.

Part of the reason Madison County’s forensics team always does so well is because they practice all year round, according to the team’s members. Some schools leagues do not begin practicing until December, shortly before competitions begin.
“We take it seriously here,” said Ena.

Former MCHS Forensics Team students have gone on to work in Hollywood, broadcast journalism and start their own companies, according to Hitt.

“I’m very proud that it lays the foundation for success,” he said.
For information about the Madison County High School Forensics Team, contact Coach Donald Hitt or Assistant Coach Kate LaRoue by calling (540) 948-3785.