A majority of the time that I reference “Forensics,” people assume that I am talking about some sort of CSI Investigation. Forensics is not about cutting up dead bodies, it is actually competitive public speaking. Growing up, I’d look forward to giving presentations in middle school or dressing as Abraham Lincoln in kindergarten to recite the Gettysburg Address, but never had a steady outlet for my desire to give speeches. Joining the Forensics team as a freshman in high school felt like discovering a second home. Public speaking as a whole, whether it is in forensics competitions, for a class presentation, or at workplace, is an essential skill to have for success.

Forensics is an umbrella term for the twelve public speaking events participants may enter into at tournaments (that number may vary from state to state). These 12 events fall into one of two general categories: Public Address or Interpretive. Public Address events are centered more around business, politics, or current events. Interpretative events are more dramatic and focused on the arts. Among the 12, there truly is an event for every personality type.

Extemporaneous speaking is the event I have always participated in. It involves being knowledgeable about politics and what is going on in the world. In Extemp the speaker gets a question pertaining to current events and has thirty minutes to research and write a four to seven minute speech addressing the question. After the thirty minutes of prep, the speaker gives their speech to a judge with nothing more than a single notecard for reference. Careful analysis, credible sources, and a passion for politics are imperative for Extemp. An Extemporaneous speaker may write and give up to five different speeches in a single tournament.

Another popular category is Informative. These speeches have no time limit on preparation and a speaker will have roughly the same speech throughout the season. The speaker will inform the judges about a subject of their choosing. Their topic could range from diamonds to buried treasure, to New York City to the latest technological advances in medicine. The speech is typically seven to ten minutes, and is most often memorized. Some speakers will choose to have a visual aide.

Many students enjoy competing in the Poetry event. It is a very popular event. The poem can be written by the speaker themselves or taken from a television show, movie, or play. It is a great event for anyone who loves to write poetry or perform.

Storytelling lends to the dramatic side of Forensics. It involves a speaker performing a piece that is not their own, but from a published author’s story. The speaker will typically hold a binder with their script in it while performing. The list of events goes on and on, from Broadcasting and Sales, to Duo Interpretation and Prose.

Numerous celebrities competed in forensics when they were in high school or college. Oprah, Adam Sandler and James Dean are just a few of the high profile names who once spent their Saturdays performing speeches. Even those not comfortable competing still learn valuable lessons by attending various events.

I've heard it said that public speaking is one of the top five greatest fears people have. However, in most cases, a competitive high school speech is given in a classroom to two judges, with someone’s grandma asleep in the back of the room from the previous round. Much to my disappointment there are hardly ever large crowds at competitions.That being said, forensics prepares students to be able to both speak to large crowds or to speak in small settings. And, if you can conquer that speaking fear, you can get a leg up on fellow students when applying to colleges or the coworkers that you will eventually be working alongside.

I owe so much to Forensics. Though getting up early on Saturdays and putting a suit and tie on to spend the day at a different school is not everyone's idea of fun, I have formed some of the strongest friendships I have ever had as a result. I cannot thank enough my coach Phyllis Minor for driving me to far away tournaments, for teaching me countless speaking skills and for bending over backwards to make sure I do my absolute best at each and every tournament. As someone who has always had different interests than most of my peers, through Forensics I've met people who share my interests and passion for speaking and as a result, I am a stronger person.