Seventeen speech and debate students qualified for Texas Forensics Association state contest through invitationals over the year. The state competition will be held in Houston on March 6-9.

Senior Daniel Lapusan is one of the qualifiers, and having qualified before, knows what the judges are looking for.

“Well, it depends on the piece, but first I would say overall they look for presentablility,” Lapusan said.  “It’s like how well versed you are, the way you speak, and the way you appear. Confidence is key; the more practice you put in, the better you’re going to be. The second thing they look for is cohesion and by that I mean your facial expressions, how your voice sounds and the way your body is being presented. It must fit the character that you are and fit what you’re trying to present.”

  Speakers can qualify in more then one state event. 

“I qualifed in dramatic interpretation, duo, and duet,” Daniel Lapusan said. “Aubrey Brown is my duet partner, and Kobe Cabello is my duo partner.”

 In duo interpretaion speakers are not allowed to look at each other or touch each other. They have to create the illusion that they are.

Duet acting it is creating a scene like in theater where speakers get two chairs and are allowed to look at each other and make contact throughout the scene.  

Texas Forensic Association state qualifiers:

In duet acting, sophomore Violet Barkus Roberson, senior Aubrey Brown, sophomore Kobe Cabello, sophomore Reese Dickson, junior Slade Harvey, junior Harley Hoffman, Daniel Lapusan, sophomore Kamryn Leblanc, junior Leah Martin, junior Jenna Sales

In dramatic interpretation, Brown, Cabello, Lapusan, Martin, Sales

In duo interpretation, junior Owen Adam, Brown, Cabello, junior Javen Gutierrez, senior Jonathan Holt, Lapusan, junior Leah Martin, sophomore Nehemiah McCoy, senior Eduardo Rodarte and Sales

In foreign extemporaneous speaking, Lapusan and junior Rachel Rempel

In humorous interpretation, junior Owen Adam, sophomore Kobe Cabello, junior Javen Gutierrez, Senior Daniel Lapusan and  junior Leah Marten

In informative speaking, junior Grace Howard

In original oratory, Howard

In program oral interpretation, Brown, Cabello, Sales