Gateway students compete in state forensics tournament and take home top awards

Gateway Community & Technical Colleges Speech Team won top honors at the 2015 Kentucky state forensics tournament on March 28-29, topping off a successful season that reflects the commitment and quality of Gateway students.

This years tournament, hosted by the University of Kentucky on the campus of nearby Transylvania University, featured teams from across the Commonwealth participating in speech and debate events.

Micah Greenhill won first place overall in Radio Broadcasting, first place overall in Communication Analysis, second place overall in Prose Interpretation, third place overall Persuasive Speaking, Top Community College Participant in Program Oral Interpretation, Poetry Interpretation, Program Oral Interpretation, and After Dinner Speaking. Greenhill also qualified for the Quadrathon, a cumulative award for students who compete in four or more events, and placed second overall, finishing half a point behind the Western Kentucky University student who finished first in the state.

In addition, Micah Greenhill was named one of two 2015 Harlan Hamm Award Winners. The Harlan Hamm Award is given to students who demonstrate the values and ideal of the KFA Forensics Community in both competition, the classroom and the community. Students are nominated for the Harlan Hamm Award by their individual team coaches, and winners are selected by the coaches of all KFA affiliated schools. This marked the second consecutive year that a Gateway Speech Team member won a Harlan Hamm Award. DeShawntae Durham was one of last years winners.

Other awards included:
DeShawntae Durham Top Community College Participant in Radio Broadcasting and Editorial Impromptu
Saywer Edelbroich Top Community College Participant in Persuasive Speaking and Informative Speaking
Gateway Speech Team second place Sweepstakes in NPDA Debate - Community College Division, second place Sweepstakes in IPDA Debate Community College Division, and first place Sweepstakes in Individual Events Community College Division.

This was a great cap to a great year. I am exceptionally proud of our team and what we were able to accomplish over the season, said John Randy DeBerry, Director of Forensics and team head coach.