Members of the LCHS Speech and Debate Team participating in the NFL (National Forensic League) Southern Peach District Tournament were: (first row, l-r) Travis Vaught, Jennifer Dandron, Ciara Crosby, Alex Western (second row) Faith Hutton, Rachel Perkins, Nicole Beard, Kristen Freeman, (third row) Connor Hamm, Kyrstie Scales, Taylor Dukes, and DeVante Starks. The tournament was held at Warner Robins High School on Saturday, February 27. The LCHS Speech and Debate Team experienced a great deal of success at tournaments held the weekends of February 20 and 27.

During a tournament held at Evans High School on Saturday, February 20, Faith Hutton, a junior at LCHS, earned a bid to compete in Dramatic Performance at the NCFL (National Catholic Forensic League) Grand National Tournament. The event is set for Memorial Day Weekend in Omaha, Nebraska.

Then, on Saturday, February 27, the speech and debate team had an amazing showing at the NFL (National Forensic League) Southern Peach District Tournament at Warner Robins High School. During the competition, several students earned bids to take part in the NFL National Tournament, which will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, in June.

The students, who qualified for the national tournament by placing in the top two in their respective events, are listed below:

.. Connor Hamm – First Place, United States Extemporaneous Speaking.

.. Kyrstie Scales/Travis Vaught – First Place, Duo Interpretation.

.. Faith Hutton – Second Place, Dramatic Interpretation.

.. DeVante Starks – First Place, Dramatic Interpretation.

Starks also placed second in Original Oratory. However, since students are not allowed to participate in more than one event at the national tournament, the LCHS junior decided to compete in Dramatic Interpretation.

Concerning other noteworthy achievements, Jennifer Dandron, another LCHS junior, made it to the finals in Dramatic Interpretation.

Altogether, LCHS students took five of the 12 “top two” spots at the tournament, a remarkable accomplishment given that the other schools at the competition were AAA or larger in size.

Other Lincoln County students taking part in the tournament were Nicole Beard, Ciara Crosby, Taylor Dukes, Kristen Freeman, Rachel Perkins, and Alex Western.

“I am very proud of the job that our students have done at these two tournaments,” said Lee Robinson, the debate and speech coach at LCHS. “For a school our size to qualify so many students for nationals is a huge accomplishment.

“The students worked very hard to do their best. It is rewarding for both them and me to see that work generate tangible results.”

Some members of team will compete again at the Region 4-A Literary Meet slated for Thursday, March 11, at GMC in Milledgeville.