Moorpark College’s Forensics Team successfully executed their two spring performances of Night Before Nationals on March 24 and 25.
Night Before Nations is not only a fundraiser for the team, but is also the team’s event for raising awareness in the community. Many people don’t realize that forensics is speech and debate, so Night Before Nationals was created to exhibit what the team does, said Rolland Petrello, the director of forensics.
“We’re the best kept secret that we didn’t want to keep!” said Petrello.
Moorpark’s forensics team has existed and been competing for 44 years, however, Night Before Nationals was only established 16 years ago. There are about 80 schools that travel to nationals each year and about 500 students competing. All students who get the opportunity to go to nationals have proved worthy of their spot by winning many awards at state-wide competitions. Moorpark’s Forensics team has won 10 national titles to date.
Seven students performed each night, giving the audience a sample of the different types of speeches performed at nationals.
There are three categories of speeches: platform, limited preparation and oral interpretation as well as the debate, which isn’t performed during Night Before Nationals due to time restraints. Each category is further broken down into sub categories.
Platform speeches include persuasive, informative, after dinner and communication analysis. Limited Preparation includes impromptu and extemporaneous. Oral Interpretation includes preforming poetry, drama, prose or a collage of the three.
Jamie Whittington-Studer performed the After Dinner speech during both performances of Night Before Nationals. The After Dinner speech illuminates flaws in humanity to the audience through the use of humor.
“It’s fun to shed light on issues in society through comedy because they’re more open that way,”said Whittington-Studer.
Feras Morad, who executed the Impromptu Speech, selected the quote ‘If all pork chops were perfect, there would be no hot dogs’ from one of the audience suggestions. After only about a minute he had a structured speech ready to perform.
“Limited prep encompasses extemporaneous and impromptu which illustrates quick thinking and controlling your stream of consciousness in a positive way,” said Morad.
The Forensics team is greatly supported by the college through donated funds, but Night Before Nationals also acts as a fundraiser to help pay the students’ way to Nationals. It also plays an important recruitment role at the college.
The location of the National Championships changes every year with this years’ location being Cleveland, Ohio on April 2-12. There will be 14 students attending this year.
