Speech team talks way to state victory

The Penn Speech Team made history in the annual Pennsylvania State Championships in mid-February, winning the competition for the first time. West Chester University -- which had won the state finals the past seven years -- took second place while Pennsylvania State University finished third. Competing against nine other schools in an event held at Elizabethtown College, the victory came as a total surprise to many members of the Penn team -- which is entirely student-run. "We expected to do well but we didn't expect to win," team President Jocelyn So said. And after ranking among the top six competitors in each category, six Penn members will advance to the National Championships planned for Muncie, Ind., in April. So's first-place finish in the persuasion speaking event -- in which she spoke of the imminent collapse of the Internet -- qualified her for the nationals as well as for the 125th Annual Interstate Rhetorical Competition in Williamsburg, Va. Speakers at the state contest participated in three different categories. The limited preparation category includes extemporaneous, impromptu and debate speeches requiring seven-minute arguments on topics announced only a half-hour before the contest. The public address categories allow participants to research an issue relevant to current events or human interest prior to the competition. Judges seek speeches presented in a poised yet conversational manner. And the interpretation categories challenge speakers to convey emotions from a play or poem without costumes or props. "The speeches have to have an impact on the audience," So said. "You have to bring your words to life." The tournament consisted of two rounds and the top four competitors of each event advanced to the second round. Penn speech team members produced their best results in the impromptu speeches, where they captured all four qualifying slots. Penn also took three of the top six finishes in individual point totals, with So coming in second place, College senior Laura Paladino in fourth and Wharton sophomore Jason Auerbach in 6th. Chris Yu, a Wharton senior, believed the team's focus on performance rather than victory contributed to the team's success. "Our goal wasn't to win, but just to do well," he said.