Pioneer forensics team sending five students- one frosh- to state
By Kevin Gate Special to the Acorn

Could there have been a homefield advantage at work during last month's speech and debate state qualifying event at Simi Valley High? The results speak for themselves: Five Pioneer students- half of SVHS's forensics team- qualified for this month's state finals.

The California High School Speech Association State Tournament, to be held April 20-23 at Fullerton High School, will feature more than 200 teams from across the state.

According to Simi High forensics coach Jennifer Urie, getting half of a team's members to qualify for championships is very rare- and no easy task.

"Every year I've been here we've had somebody make it to the state," Urie said. "For a school this size, it's very impressive to get five people to the state finals."

Those moving on to compete in Fullerton are: Lauren Levy, C.J. Young, Caitlin Scannell, Caitlin Ferguson and Kevin Keiselbach. All are seniors except Keiselbach, who is just a freshman.

"A ninth-grader making it to state is a rare thing," Urie said.

Though students are evaluated individually, each team must bring a coach and a judge to the state competition. All five students must perform the same pieces they recited to the qualifying judges.

Competitors are judged on topics they choose and interpret. Performing a portion of a play, giving an original speech on a political issue, and performing an original play or monologue are among their options.

Every team has two captains. Levy and Scannell were chosen to fill the roles this year.

Levy said she has a lot of confidence going into this month's competition, although, like her teammates, she'll be practicing plenty between now and April 20.

"We have a really strong team this year" Levy said, "so I predict winning results from all of us."

Urie, who's overseen the school's forensics team for the past six years, said she shares in her students' excitement.

"I've been really looking forward to it," Urie said. "Making it to state is huge."