Berea College will host the 2006 Kentucky State Forensics Tournament February 17-18.

Ten colleges and universities in the state are sending teams to this year’s tournament: Berea College, Asbury College, Transylvania University, Pikeville College, Western Kentucky University, Murray State University, Morehead State University, The University of the Cumberlands, Owensboro Community College, and Hopkinsville Community College. A total of 160 students, coaches and judges are expected to take part.

“I’m thrilled to see so many students entering these competitions and honing their cognitive, speaking and performing skills,” said tournament coordinator Billy Wooten, assistant professor of English, Theatre and Communications and Berea’s Forensic Team coach. “The level of political and philosophical knowledge that students develop as a result of speech and debate will serve them well in the future.”

Wooten, a 1998 Berea alumnus who was a member of the College’s forensics team when a student at Berea, says forensics at the college level is growing in popularity.
"The number of competitors has increased threefold since I debated in the late nineties,” says Wooten. “The level of competition has increased as well.”

Berea College’s Forensics Team has won 35 individual and team awards this season in both debate and performance events. Throughout the years, the college as an institution also has won several sweepstakes awards as well as a traveling award for excellence.

Tournament events will be held from 12:30- 7 p.m. on Friday, and from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Saturday, all in the Jesse Preston Draper Building.
The event is free and open to the public. Spectators can find out about specific debates and performance locations at the information desk in the Draper Building Lobby.

Kentucky State Forensics Tournament Feb. 17-18
Schedule of Events for Friday:

Schedule of Events for Saturday: