With competitive speaking, acting, and interpretation, forensics has something for just about everybody. The forensics team recently held their first few W-Hour meetings of the season. Focused on competitive public speaking, the group offers many different categories for each individual. From Solo-Humorous, to Informative, and from Improv to Speeches, there are spots for every comfort level.

With the season starting soon, many members are thinking back to when they first joined.

“I started forensics because I was done with the play, and I wanted more when it came to acting,” West alumna and “forensicator” Lara Funnell said. “I was introduced to it by a peer, and they showed me all the opportunities that came with it. I wanted to try something new.”

Last year, Funnell’s chosen category was Solo-Humorous with a goal to make others laugh and improve her acting skills.

“You gain confidence, excellent speaking skills, an amazing community, and memories to last a lifetime,” she said.

Much of the team feels the same way; however, it doesn’t happen overnight.

“In addition to making friendships and building confidence in yourself, forensics taught me the importance of hard work in a competitive and subjective activity such as this,” senior Addi Peck said. “It’s important to put your best and your all into constantly improving your piece, but it is also important to remember that acting, performing, and speaking is subjective. Sometimes, no matter what you do, someone won’t like it, and that’s just the way of the world.”

Getting up for a tournament on a Saturday may not be the easiest, but it accelerates the rapport and camaraderie of the team.

“It was started back in the early 70’s by Mr. Tom Lynch,” forensics coach and English teacher Scotti Thurwatcher said. “Mr. Lynch built one of the most successful forensics programs in state history. His team was so large that they often had to take two buses.”

The team hopes for a good season this year, and years to come.

“While it will be difficult to reach the pinnacle of success Mr. Lynch acquired, my hope is to lead us to the top of the Wisconsin forensics world again,” Thurwatcher said.

The team finds going to a new school every tournament as an interesting bonding experience.

“I have a really terrible sense of direction so it’s very common for me to get lost at whatever random high school I am at,” senior Angelina Vu said.

Though finding the assigned room can be a challenge, performing for the judge proves worth the search.

“One time Addi, my duo partner, and I were competing in a room and the ceiling started leaking and apparently it was dripping on her the whole time,” Vu said. “I didn't even notice and she did not even break character.”

Throughout the season, the team makes memories, and everyone’s excited to make more. Sophomore Ollie Hardy has a unique perspective on early mornings..

“I love waking up at 4am on a Saturday and doing my makeup on the bus and pretending to be in a Dance Moms episode,” they said.

At times, bonding can have consequences.

“One time we became best friends with the bus driver and Meriam sat on the heater and the bus overheated, so we had to pull over into an adult store parking lot,” Hardy said.

The team is very excited to kickstart the new forensics season with the Munster meet coming up on Dec. 9, with many more tournaments to follow.

“It’s a lot of work in the first few weeks, but in the end, it’s so much fun,” Hardy said.

by Annabelle Schmitz

Published Novemner 27, 2023

Oshkosh West Index vol 120 issue III

Forensics taxis down runway in anticipation of taking flight for seasonal flight