Individual Events Speech Team

Almost 300 schools from throughout the state compete in the IHSA Individual Events Speech State Contest series. That's over 200 more schools than all other IHSA forensic activities combined! Last year's State tournament alone boasted the participation of seventy-nine schools from across the state of Illinois. No other IHSA forensic activity can match that level of participation and competition. Of course, more schools means tougher overall competition and more levels of competition along the way to the state finals. Individual Events is by far the most popular and competitive forensic activity in the state and across the nation.

This year the EGHS team will travel throughout the state from Glenbrook South to Illinois State University to Rend Lake College for the state finals.

At EGHS we were the MSL Individual Events Speech Champions in 1992, 93, 94, 95, 96 and 97. We were 4th in the State in 1995 and Regional Champions in 1994, 1996 and 1997. We have had thirty state-qualifying events in the last seven years. No other school in the MSL Conference can boast a record anywhere near that of Elk Grove's!

Along with policy and Lincoln-Douglas debate, the Elk Grove speech team was selected as 1 of 10 schools nationwide to receive the Phillips Performance award for excellence, placing it in the top 1% of National Forensic League chapters nationwide.

The Elk Grove speech team events include the following:

• Humorous Duet Acting - A two-person acting scene that is funny.
• Dramatic Duet Acting - A two-person acting scene that is definitely not funny.
• Humorous Interpretation - A funny scene from a play where one person plays all the characters.
• Dramatic Interpretation - A dramatic scene from a play where one person plays all of the characters.
• Prose Reading - The reading of short stories.
• Verse Reading - The reading of poems.
• Original Comedy - Eight minutes of comedy written by the performer.
• Special Occasion Speaking - An entertaining "after dinner" speech for a realistic audience.
• Original Oratory - An original persuasive speech on an important and relevant issue.
• Oratorical Declamation - A published persuasive speech that the student performs.
• Extemporaneous Speaking - A current events speech prepared and delivered at the tournament.
• Radio Speaking - A five-minute radio broadcast.
• Impromptu Speaking - Eight minutes from start to finish - a speech on a quote or a topic that the student prepares and delivers right on the spot.