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Forensics: Speech and Debate Print E-mail

Forensics is both an honorary society and an academic sport for interscholastic public speaking, poetic reading, storytelling, dramatic performance, debate, and model U.S. Congress.    Students can earn sport letters/patches, as well as cords for graduation.

Forensics teamStudents in forensics form lasting friendships with both their teammates and fellow competitors from around the nation.  No other activity can claim to prepare students in such a well-rounded way for the SAT, or college in general.  The critical thinking skills students master in forensics makes it the top activity college admissions counselors look for, especially where enrollment is competitive, such as at Ivy League institutions (Wall Street Journal).

Nationally, high-profile forensic alumni include:  talk show host Oprah Winfrey, journalist Jane Pauley, C-SPAN founder Brian Lamb, media mogul Ted Turner, and actors Kelsey Grammer, James Dean, Bette Midler and Shelley Long.


The National Forensic League (NFL) is an academic honorary society, wherein students earn varying "degrees" based on competition and service activities, including television broadcasts and speaking at community assemblies. In 1995, Rufus King was the leading chapter for memberships and degrees in the Southern Wisconsin District, and in 2004, won the District Tournament cumulative rounds traveling trophy. 17 students have competed 29 times nationally (1994, 2001-2009).  In 2005, junior Eva Lam was the National Champion (the first from Wisconsin in 20
years) and won the Presiding Officer Award in the Congress - House of Representatives. We earned a Schwan's School of Excellence in Debate Award for our achievements in Congress at the 2005 national tournament.  Sam Daly - who placed sixth in the Senate in 2005 - was an NFL All American (ranked among the top 25 merit point-earning students nationwide, out of several thousand, and the top-rated Wisconsinite).  In 2006, Eva Lam was National Champion in the Congress - Senate, and Sarah Hinkfuss was National Champion in Extemporaneous Commentary.  Eva was an All American in 2006, ranked THIRD in the nation, out of 90,000 students!

In addition to our NFL accolades, the following highlights additional honors by Rufus King's squads:

  • In 2005, our Congress squad claimed championships in the State Senate, House and Novice House, and achieved a WFCA first by sweeping all six trophy places in the Super House.  This is the third consecutive year we've had a state congress champion.
  • WFCA 2005 State Champion in Group Discussion, Myra Lam
  • Harvard University National Student Congress (champion, 2006; finalists, 2004, 2005; New School Award, 2003)
  • National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL) (national qualifiers, 2000-2009; champion Policy Debate 2007; 4th place Congress 2005)
  • Wisconsin High School Forensic Association State Debate Tournament (3rd, 2004; 5th, 2005)
  • Wisconsin Debate Coaches Association State Tournament (1st place Novice, 2007; 2nd place Squad Sweepstakes, 2004)
  • Representative to ABC News/United Nations Foundation/NFL (The People Speak Forum, 2004)

Ms. Diane Hardy is the current head coach.

Adam Jacobi, Rufus King IB alumnus, directed the forensics program from 1997-2008 before taking an executive position with the National Forensic League national headquarters as Education/Programs Coordinator.  Mr. Jacobi has served on the executive committees of the Wisconsin Forensic Coaches' Association, Wisconsin Debate Coaches' Association (president, 2005-08), Southern Wisconsin NFL District and for Congress at the National Debate Tournament of Champions.  Respected nationwide, Mr. Jacobi is a tournament official at both the NFL and NCFL national tournaments, and is a consulting educator for the NFL's and U.S. State Department's International Debate Exchange Program.  Mr. Jacobi, published in NFL's Rostrum magazine, was honored at the 2009 NFL National Tournament for earning his Second Diamond Key for excellence in coaching and honored in 2006 by the Wisconsin Forensic Coaches' Association as its William Hintz Coach of the Year.  Mr. Jacobi also works with Alverno College's National Humanities Council to host a major annual invitational tournament, and teaches Student Congress at the Florida Forensic Institute.  Mr. Jacobi taught IB Theatre Arts, acting and speech courses.

Visit the forensics Web site at www.rufuskingforensics.com for more information.

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