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Speech Team places in national competition
April 21, 2005 | ||||||
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KOKOMO, Ind.—Representatives of the IU Kokomo Speech Team achieved a 10th place team finish in their division at the National Forensic Association Championship Tournament held April 14–17, at the University of Akron, Ohio. The 11-member IU Kokomo squad was represented by Chad Andrews of Sharpsville, Rachel Harrington of Rochester, and Grace Keith and Shane Vore, both of Kokomo. The students qualified for the national event during state and regional tournaments during spring semester. Seventy-five other colleges and universities from across the country brought their best competitors to Akron to vie for the title of number one in the nation. Coach Jaime Howell, a lecturer in communication arts. commended the IU Kokomo competitors on “a great achievement,” noting that, in the team's first semester of intercollegiate tournaments, IU Kokomo students competed with varsity-level teams from other schools. “I was most pleased with the cohesion that occurred during the trip for the team,” stated Howell. “They have been exposed to a higher level of competition and that will help them to prepare for next year.” Chancellor Ruth Person added her congratulations. “We are all very pleased with the outstanding success of our speech team,” Person said. “Being part of the 'Top 10' in our category is a great place to be!” Rachel Harrington described her first competition at the national level as “a whole new ball game. The competition was rigorous. More intense practice over the next year will be key.” Grace Keith is already looking forward to future tournaments. ”Although we qualified to the national tournament in only one semester, I know that I need to prepare a full year prior to the competition to achieve my goal of going further than we did this year,” she said. The speech team's success during its inaugural year pleases Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Susan Sciame-Giesecke, Ph.D. “Qualifying for nationals was quite an accomplishment, and it attests to the hard work everyone put in this year,” Sciame-Giesecke said. “I appreciate all of Jaime Howell's efforts, and I applaud the students for a job well done! I look forward to next year!” Howell called the team “more than a club, more than awards.” Team members “are gaining skills for use in future professions,” she said. The Speech Team will host its second Speech Olympics Tuesday, April 26, at 7 p.m. in Kresge Auditorium. At intermission, Keith and Andrews will perform the Duo Prose piece that earned them a berth at the national tournament. The public is invited. Admission is free. To learn more about supporting the IU Kokomo Speech Team, contact Howell at jlhowell@iuk.edu or (765) 455-9003.
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