Mount Horeb High School
305 South Eighth Street, Mount Horeb, WI 53572 Phone (608) 437-2400 Fax (608) 437-4926
Our Future: Prepare. Learn. Lead.
Forensics includes acting, speech, radio announcing, and more. It’s a great way to build
confidence and a great outlet for people who like to speak or perform.
Why join forensics?
 It helps you become a better speaker and performer
 It looks great on college applications
 You go on trips with your friends and have fun!
What do we do in forensics?
 Decide on whether you want to perform as an individual or with a group*
o
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*If you pick a group, keep it small and make sure you’ll have time to rehearse together
Decide on a category from the attached sheet
Find material and plan your presentation
Practice on your own (or in your group) and with me
o Schedule one practice a week with me during lunch, study hall or before/after school.
You must be able to commit to a weekly practice time to be successful in forensics.
Travel with your team to competitions
o Meets are elimination meets, so you must compete at each meet to advance to the next.
o Qualifying scores at the Sub-district Festival in Argyle in February will send you to
District Competition in Platteville in March; qualifying scores in Platteville send you to
the State Festival at UW-Madison in April.
 Transportation is provided for all meets, leaving from the front of the high school.
 Dress professionally for tournaments, as if going to a job interview for a business
where you really want the job. Whether we like it or not, appearance matters.
No jeans, shorts, T-shirts, gym shoes, etc.
Interested? Fill out the attached information sheet and return it to me in room 306 with a completed
parent/guardian permission and contact information sheet by Friday, December 9. (At this time you
should be prepared to talk about what category you’d like to perform. You must have performance
pieces selected or written by December 16.)
I look forward to a great forensics season! Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Molly Bilse
[email protected]
Friday, December 9
Friday, December 16
Monday, February 20
Saturday, March 25
Saturday, April 22
Forensics 2016-17 Schedule of Dates and Meets
Deadline for first meeting with Mrs. Bilse to select category
Deadline to have pieces selected & schedule first rehearsal
Sub-District Festival in Argyle
District Festival at UW-Platteville* (This is the first Saturday of Spring Break)
State Festival at UW-Madison
2016-17 FORENSICS CATEGORIES
Public Speaking
Demonstration Speech: A demonstration speech
explains how to do something or how something
works. The speaker(s) must demonstrate a
process using objects or physical activity. Visual
aids (charts, graphs, diagrams, maps, pictures,
etc.) are optional, but are not to take the place of
objects or activity. The speech must be instructive
and present valuable and significant information.
(10 min. max; 1-2 speakers allowed)
Extemporaneous Speech: The Extemporaneous
Speech should provide a direct response to the
question drawn. The challenge to the speaker is to
phrase a clear answer to the question and support
it with evidence and reasoning. The participant
may use resource material from any publication,
but questions - supplied by the WHSFA State
Office for every level - will be based on current
news events, and questions will be drawn from
credible news sources published during the
previous three months. (7 min. max)
Four-Minute Speech: Present well-developed
material, which has the primary intent of
informing, although persuasive elements may be
present. Limit the topic to ideas that can be
developed adequately 4 minutes. The speech is to
be organized, coherent, unified, and clear. A
range of support materials -- which can include
quotations, statistics, examples, comparisons, and
analogies -- are to be used and cited appropriately.
(4 min. max)
Moments in History: Select an historical topic
within the limits presented each year by WHSFA.
The general focus for a speech in this category is
an exploration of history. Students may consider
(but are not limited to) the following areas of
research: archival records, diaries, personal
interviews, letters, newspapers, etc. The speaker
is to use this researched information to compose
and present a well-organized, informative speech.
Speakers may use visual materials, but such
materials must support, not dominate, the
presentation. This category calls for a speech, not
a visual media show or an acting performance. (6
min. max)

Choose one time period: 1990s or 1750-1800
Oratory: The oration is a thoroughly prepared,
well composed, and well expressed speech of
persuasion on a significant topic. It may fulfill its
persuasive challenge in one of three ways: 1) by
alerting the audience to existence of a problem; 2)
by affirming existence of a problem and offering a
solution; or 3) by urging adoption of a policy.
While the topic of the oration should be of
significance to general society, it should be
adapted to an audience of the speaker's peers. An
effective oration is characterized by clear, vivid,
and forceful language and appropriate stylistic
devices such as metaphor, comparison/contrast,
irony, allusion, analogy. Quality supporting
materials are necessary. (10 min. max)
Public Address Speech: Contribute to the public
dialog on a contemporary issue by presenting a
well-informed ,well-organized, clear, and
effectively presented speech directly responding
to a question about that issue. The speaker is to
be knowledgeable and is to use quality
supporting material to substantiate his/her
position. (8 min. max; Choose one topic question)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What, if anything should be done to reduce
costs for post-secondary education?
To what extent, if any, should public schools
recognize rights of transgendered individuals?
What, if anything, should government do to
address gun violence?
What should be the new U.S. President’s top
three priorities?
To what extent, if any, is the Electoral College
an outdated way of electing the U.S. President?
Special Occasion: Write a speech appropriate to a
specific occasion and its probable audience. A
speech may pursue more than one of the standard
general purposes of informing, persuading, or
entertaining. Speakers may use visual materials
but such materials must support – not dominate –
the presentation. This is a speech, not a visual
media show. (8 min. max; Choose one occasion)
1.
2.
3.
4.
A speech to a veteran’s organization
A speech in response to a scandal
A sales pitch to investors for a new product or
invention
A dedication of an art exhibit or public art
installation
Performance of Literature
Farrago: Select material from a variety of literary
genres (poetry, short stories, speeches, essays,
drama, songs, novels), which address a central
specific theme or emotion and to interpret the
material through oral presentation. Quality
material is required. Quality material – that
which provides insight into human values,
motivations, relationships, problems, and
understandings, and is not characterized by
sentimentality, violence for its own sake,
unmotivated endings, or stereotyped
characterizations. (10 min. max)
Group Interpretive Reading: Contrary to
dramatic performance, the challenge of this
category is to compile and present a literary script
in such manner that the audience imagines action
being described rather than witnessing it being
performed. Symbolic characterization and vocal
and physical action, rather than a literal
dramatization or pantomime, is required. Ideas
are imagined through oral reading and not
through acting; therefore, the ensemble of oral
readers act as a medium of expression for the
audience. Group Interpretive Reading is an
ensemble presentation by 2-5 readers. (12 min. max)
Play Acting: Participants perform a scene or
cutting from a play with emphasis on character
development and appropriate physical movement.
Participants may play more than one character;
however, extreme fragmentation of actors into
multiple roles may have a severely adverse
impact on the ability to develop a believable
character portrayal during the limited time
available. Play Acting is an ensemble
presentation by 2-5 actors. (10 min. max)
Poetry: The participant should select one or more
poems centering on a specific theme or emotion.
Original material is allowed. The presentation is
read from a manuscript. (8 min. max)
Prose: The participant should select one or more
works of prose literature, including short stories,
cutting from novels, drama, essays, or other nonfiction work, centering on a specific theme or
emotion. The presentation is read from a
manuscript. (8 min. max)
Radio Speaking: The challenge to the speaker is
to present a well-organized, clearly
communicated newscast. Source material of
approximately 15-20 minutes in length is
provided 30 minutes before each round and must
be cut and edited with special efforts made to end
right at 5 minutes. At least one commercial (from
the source material) is to be included within the
time limits of the presentation. (5 min. exactly)
Solo Acting (Humorous/Serious): The material
shall be a cutting from serious or humorous
drama or other literature adapted to the dramatic
format with brief narrative transitions allowed
that includes any number of characters. By using
the self as a medium between the selection and
the audience, the student shall create the
character(s) and shall utilize action appropriate to
the characterization(s) within the control of the
setting. Quality material is required: that which
provides insight into human values, motivations,
relationships, problems, and understandings, and
is not characterized by sentimentality, violence
for its own sake, unmotivated endings, or
stereotyped characterizations. (8 min. max)
Storytelling: To tell a story is to chronicle events.
The storyteller’s purpose is to chronicle those
events in a coherent, unified, clear, and
interesting manner. While seated, the storyteller
utilizes vocal variation and physical movement to
suggest different characters and character
relationships in order to make the story clearer
and more interesting. The emphasis of the
storyteller’s art is on the teller as an intermediary
or narrator. The student is expected to
demonstrate a sense of audience, that is, tell the
chosen story in a manner suitable for the intended
audience, be it young children, teenagers, or
adults. (8 min. max; prepare a story for each of the topic
areas)
1.
2.
3.
4.
A story from Scandinavia
A story about food
A story about overcoming obstacles
A story about technology
Parent/Guardian Contact Info & Permission for Forensics 2016-17
PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY
Parent/Guardian 1
Name
Cell phone number
Home phone number
Work phone number
Email address
Best way to reach you: (Circle)
HOME PHONE
EMAIL
CELL/TEXT MESSAGE
Parent/Guardian 2
Name
Cell phone number
Home phone number
Work phone number
Email address
Best way to reach you: (Circle)
HOME PHONE
EMAIL
CELL/TEXT MESSAGE
I give permission for my son/daughter, ________________________________to participate in
Forensics and attend tournaments listed below. I have read the letter provided.
Signature(s):
____________________________________________________________________________
Cut on the above line and save these dates below!
Forensics 2016-17 Schedule of Dates and Meets
Friday, December 9
Friday, December 16
Monday, February 20
Saturday, March 25
Saturday, April 22
Deadline for first meeting with Mrs. Bilse to select category
Deadline to have pieces selected & schedule first rehearsal
Sub-District Festival in Argyle
District Festival at UW-Platteville* (This is the first Saturday of Spring Break)
State Festival at UW-Madison
I am interested in joining forensics this year!
Student info sheet
PLEASE PRINT NEATLY
Name:
Grade Year: (Circle) 9
10
11
12
Category you are interested in performing
When are you available to rehearse with a coach? (Before school? After school? Day(s) of the week?)
Personal cell number
Other contact number
(specify if home phone or parent cell)
Best email to reach you
How often do you check the email above ? (Circle) DAILY
What is the best way to contact you? (Circle)
TEXT
WEEKLY
EMAIL
RARELY
OTHER_________________
Medical Information needed for participation in forensics and travel to meets: (allergies or medical
conditions, medications needed, dietary needs or restrictions, etc…)
I have read the forensics letter and understand the commitments required to be a member of the Mt.
Horeb High School forensics team.
Signed:
Dated:
_____________________________________________
__________________
Cut on the above line and save these dates below!
Forensics 2016-17 Schedule of Dates and Meets
Friday, December 9
Friday, December 16
Monday, February 20
Saturday, March 25
Saturday, April 22
Deadline for first meeting with Mrs. Bilse to select category
Deadline to have pieces selected & schedule first rehearsal
Sub-District Festival in Argyle
District Festival at UW-Platteville* (This is the first Saturday of Spring Break)
State Festival at UW-Madison