In November students select a category and then choose the material they wish to perform.  There are 15 categories to choose from.  Play Acting and Group Interpretation are the only categories for groups ranging from two to five members.  All other categories are performed solo:  eight are speech categories and seven are interpretive categories.  The speeches are to be original and are often very similar to those high school students are required to write for English classes.  The interpretive categories are those that are read or acted out and tend to more dramatic in nature.

Beginning in December, students meet each week with Coach Heather Tessmann to practice.  They practice on their own as well.  In January, students are encouraged to participate in Parent's Night.  This is an informal performance for friends and family.

Forensics meets begin in February and are held after school hours.  At each meet there are three rounds, and students perform their selection for a different judge in each round.   Every performer is given a score from 5 points to a perfect score of 25 points.  It is not uncommon for CWC to return home from a meet with multiple perfect scores. 

At the Conference Meet, students perform against one another and only the top scorer in each category wins the Conference medal.  At the Sub-District Meet, two scores of 16 or more are needed to advance to the District level where two scores of 21 or more are required to advance to the State level.  At State, a perfect score of 25 receives a gold medal, scores of 23-24 receive a silver medal, a score of 20-22 receives a bronze medal, and all other scores receive a participation medal.  Afterwards, the entire team celebrates at a restaurant of the Seniors' choice!

The schedule for the 2007-08 Forensics season is as follows.  We'd love to see you there!

Date:	Event:	Location
January 21	Parent's Night	CWC Commons
February 4	Conference Meet	CWC
February 11	Conference Snow Date  (only if snowed out on 2/4)	CWC
February 25	Sub-District Meet	Luther Prep, Watertown
March 3	District Meet	Berlin
April 18 or 19	State Meet	UW Campus, Madison