We will do our team photo after break. Trying to get everyone together (including the coaches) prior to break is probably not a possibility, but we can do so when we return. Tentative date: second Monday.
Note that we will meet on the first day back from break.
kt
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
WOW! Extemp Excitement!!!
I have to believe that this is a first in the annals of LFHS Forensics: a first place tie shared by two Scouts in Extemp!!???
As Darth Vader would say: Most impressive!
Congratulations to Mark and Molly, whose feat may not be equaled for a long time. What a way to end 2008!!!
And the rest of the team were no slouches today at Willowbrook either:
Jeffery and Julia took first in IDA in their first ever tournament pairing. Another wow!
and...
DDA, Jeffery and Megan: 3rd
HDA, Jenny and Connor: 3rd
IDA, Alex and Lily: 2
OO, Mark: 6
OO, Danielle: 5
OV, Lain: 2
RS, Jenny: 5
RS, Jeff: 4
RS, Alex: 2
SOS, Kelsey: 6
What a great day! The team finished 8th, which certainly is respectable. Congratulations to everyone! We'll meet on Monday for our regular (mandatory) meeting, and then our schedule for the week will be lighter than usual since there is no week-ending tournament.
There will be a Theatre Fest mandatory meeting after school on Wednesday.
As Darth Vader would say: Most impressive!
Congratulations to Mark and Molly, whose feat may not be equaled for a long time. What a way to end 2008!!!
And the rest of the team were no slouches today at Willowbrook either:
Jeffery and Julia took first in IDA in their first ever tournament pairing. Another wow!
and...
DDA, Jeffery and Megan: 3rd
HDA, Jenny and Connor: 3rd
IDA, Alex and Lily: 2
OO, Mark: 6
OO, Danielle: 5
OV, Lain: 2
RS, Jenny: 5
RS, Jeff: 4
RS, Alex: 2
SOS, Kelsey: 6
What a great day! The team finished 8th, which certainly is respectable. Congratulations to everyone! We'll meet on Monday for our regular (mandatory) meeting, and then our schedule for the week will be lighter than usual since there is no week-ending tournament.
There will be a Theatre Fest mandatory meeting after school on Wednesday.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Midweek Willowbrook Update
Thursday Update
The following people are signed up for this week but do not have a season permission slip (available on Links list) on file:
Elizabeth Mays
Emma Stockert
Grace Yu
Julia Hankins
Megan Pratt
Vibhav Gupta
No one will be allowed to participate without the signed season permission form. Single-day permission slips will not be accepted.
This is the current lineup:
The following people are signed up for this week but do not have a season permission slip (available on Links list) on file:
Elizabeth Mays
Emma Stockert
Grace Yu
Julia Hankins
Megan Pratt
Vibhav Gupta
No one will be allowed to participate without the signed season permission form. Single-day permission slips will not be accepted.
This is the current lineup:
| DDA | Jeffrey & Megan | | | | | |
| DI | Julia H | Hayley | | | | |
| HDA | Eliz & Julia C | Grace & Olivia | Jenny & Connor | Jeffrey & Emma | | |
| HI | Katie | | | | | |
| ES | Molly | Mark | | | | |
| IS | Molly | | | | | |
| OC | Andrew | | | | | |
| OD | Elizabeth | Hayley | Vibhav | | | |
| OO | Danielle S | Mark | | | | |
| PR | | Grace | | | | |
| RS | Jenny P | Andrew | Vibhav | Alex | | |
| SOS | Kelsey | | | | | |
| PO | Sondra | Julia C | Danielle S | Lily A | | |
| IDA | Julia H & Jeffrey | Lily A & Alex | | | | |
| OV | Lain | | | | | |
Monday, December 8, 2008
after bradley
First of all, congrats to all who participated in the Bradley tournament, especially to those who broke semi-finals and finals.
Semi-finalists: Neil Phelps (OC), Mark Torcivia (ES), Jeff Niedermaier/Megan Pratt (DDA), Jeff Nickels (RS)
Finalists: Emily Neuberger (4th Place Novice PR), Andrew Piechota (6th Place Novice OC)
Tournament Champion: Alex Kroger (1st place Novice RS)
It was, all in all, a good weekend. But it might have been a better weekend if we as a team had a better work ethic. As I have been stressing for weeks, we all need to develop stronger practice attitudes and focus. We need to be here every day, working on our own pieces and helping our teammates with theirs. That is how to grow.
This weekend I met and talked with many members of Fullerton Union High School from California, the runaway Bradley tournament champions. This is a school of approximately our size. They have 160 members on their forensics team. They have one coach. They brought 60 kids across the country to Bradley and routed every other team in attendance. And they were also the nicest kids I spoke with.
OK: How did they accomplish all of this?
Partly, it is due to the fact that they have made their Forensics team into something culturally important at their high school. They do offer a class (which we cannot at this time offer here), but mostly they are just dedicated. From their website:
So, looking ahead, let's gear up for a fabulous second half of the season by dedicating ourselves to work hard and to doing what we can to help each other. One of the greatest things to come out of the Bradley tournament was the circle game played by most of the team in the student union in which each person said positive things about others. What a great concept that is! We need more of that kind of thing. (And less griping about placements and long waits for awards ceremonies.) We need to support each other when we succeed, too: be there for your teammates in the final rounds that they break. Not to "stack the room" in some unsportsmanlike way, as one judge absurdly accused Neil of doing when no one of us was even there, but to show our support. That is a part of a good team.
We have great people on this team, and we do have a lot of talent. And we are starting to come together. But we have a long way to go. Let's get there!
Here is the Willowbrook lineup so far:
Semi-finalists: Neil Phelps (OC), Mark Torcivia (ES), Jeff Niedermaier/Megan Pratt (DDA), Jeff Nickels (RS)
Finalists: Emily Neuberger (4th Place Novice PR), Andrew Piechota (6th Place Novice OC)
Tournament Champion: Alex Kroger (1st place Novice RS)
It was, all in all, a good weekend. But it might have been a better weekend if we as a team had a better work ethic. As I have been stressing for weeks, we all need to develop stronger practice attitudes and focus. We need to be here every day, working on our own pieces and helping our teammates with theirs. That is how to grow.
This weekend I met and talked with many members of Fullerton Union High School from California, the runaway Bradley tournament champions. This is a school of approximately our size. They have 160 members on their forensics team. They have one coach. They brought 60 kids across the country to Bradley and routed every other team in attendance. And they were also the nicest kids I spoke with.
OK: How did they accomplish all of this?
Partly, it is due to the fact that they have made their Forensics team into something culturally important at their high school. They do offer a class (which we cannot at this time offer here), but mostly they are just dedicated. From their website:
Preparing for a year of competition begins before the start of the school year. FUHS Speech & Debate students attend a four-week summer camp at the Fullerton campus, where coaches help students develop and master a memorized piece. The intensive training continues throughout the school year with hours of practice at home in front of a mirror, at the front of the classroom, during individual coaching sessions and finally at competitive tournaments. During the nine month school year, the team travels hundreds of miles by airplane, bus and car to attend dozens of local, state and national tournaments.None of the coaches here want to turn LFHS into a forensics factory like some of the "black suit" schools around us--and, yes, Fullerton is a black suit school, though seemingly a nice one--but we do wish to stem the self-perpetuating tide of frustrating mediocrity that hurts us too often: we don't practice seriously enough --> we don't do well in tournaments --> we don't want to practice. Again, this doesn't apply to those who work very hard and just don't break through; that happens and it's part of forensics. But we all know that is not the case for everyone.
So, looking ahead, let's gear up for a fabulous second half of the season by dedicating ourselves to work hard and to doing what we can to help each other. One of the greatest things to come out of the Bradley tournament was the circle game played by most of the team in the student union in which each person said positive things about others. What a great concept that is! We need more of that kind of thing. (And less griping about placements and long waits for awards ceremonies.) We need to support each other when we succeed, too: be there for your teammates in the final rounds that they break. Not to "stack the room" in some unsportsmanlike way, as one judge absurdly accused Neil of doing when no one of us was even there, but to show our support. That is a part of a good team.
We have great people on this team, and we do have a lot of talent. And we are starting to come together. But we have a long way to go. Let's get there!
Here is the Willowbrook lineup so far:
| | ||||||
| DI | Julia H | Hayley | | | | |
| HDA | Eliz & Julia C | Grace & Olivia | Jenny & Connor | Jeffrey & Emma | | |
| HI | Carter | | | | | |
| ES | Molly | | Mark | | | |
| IS | Molly | | | | | |
| OC | Andrew | | | | | |
| OD | Elizabeth | Hayley | | | | |
| OO | Mac | Mark | Danielle S | | | |
| PR | Olivia | Grace | Megan | | | |
| RS | Jenny P | Andrew | Lain | Alex | Carter | Mac |
| SOS | Kelsey | | | | | |
| PO | Sondra | Julia C | Danielle S | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
back to basics
Hi, again, everyone!
OK, we've attempted a whole bunch of things to accommodate people's schedules this year, but they have not really worked very effectively, so all of the coaches agree that it is time to go back to basics.
Starting Monday, we will be moving back to the most effective schedule we have ever found: the one we used last year.
For those who are new this year, the schedule for the remainder of the year (I promise!) will be as follows:
Monday:
OK, we've attempted a whole bunch of things to accommodate people's schedules this year, but they have not really worked very effectively, so all of the coaches agree that it is time to go back to basics.
Starting Monday, we will be moving back to the most effective schedule we have ever found: the one we used last year.
For those who are new this year, the schedule for the remainder of the year (I promise!) will be as follows:
Monday:
- Mandatory Team Meeting 3:15-3:45; only exceptions are those pre-cleared by a coach.
- should you have to miss, you must contact your cluster leader Monday night and be there on Tuesday
- practice with all coaches
Tuesday:
- Showcase Day 3:15-4:30; all team members expected to attend to provide feedback to as many events as possible within that time frame
- practice with KT and team leaders
Wednesday:
- Practice: all coaches generally present
Thursday:
- Practice: KT, LF, JE generally present
- priority given to this week's contestants
Friday:
- Practice: KT, JP generally present
- priority given to this week's contestants
All team members are expected to be here every day, at least for a part of the day. We understand if you cannot make it on certain days due to outside commitments (Madrigals, Bel Cantos, etc), but you must clear these with cluster leaders or coaches.
This is a team. Be a part of it!! Our season is not that long, and rules change in January. For Nov/Dec, be here!
Look for other announcements this weekend.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
11/16: this week
Congrats to Danielle, Megan, Jeffrey, Jeff, Sarah, and Julia H, all of whom medaled at Huntley yesterday. It was a good showing considering our fractured and fragmented team, and we all should be proud.
Nonetheless, we have lots of work to do.
This week is the week that will define and either make or break our season. That sounds melodramatic, but it is not. Whether we can come together as a team to pull off a successful tournament and a strong showing at that tournament will put a stamp on us that will determine who we are this year.
So far, we are a group of folks who show up once in a while, when it is convenient, and as a whole (though with clear exceptions) are not dedicated to each other, even if we are dedicated to our own performances and pieces. (Sometimes we are not even dedicated to that.) There have been many factors that have played into this. Some have been outside of our control; some have not.
Here is what I know:
This is called the Forensics Team. We draw from a variety of places, and before our season begins everyone is involved in other things: plays, sports, etc. We get that; we always have. No one expects forensics to be the number one priority for very many students from the start of the school year (though it's always nice when it is). However, once that play or that sports season ends, this is your team. You've got to be here. You've got to realize that your commitment to this team, to this program, is every bit as important as your commitment to whatever other extracurricular activity you are involved in. That is the only way we can continue to have the success we have been able to achieve in the past.
Plays or athletics demand that you attend practice five days a week after school. Forensics does not demand this, but in the brief season from November through December we expect it. Circumstances may affect your availability. Maybe there are days each week you cannot make. That is all the more reason you need to redouble your effort on the other days. And the reason you come is not only to work on your own pieces; it is to help others with theirs, to watch and give feedback, to provide audiences. Team has to have meaning or we are just a bunch of random people speaking to walls.
Things will change in January. Expectations will change. Once a week meeting with a coach will be enough for polished pieces by then. But that is not the case now. At this time of the year, when the season is in its fledgling stages, we need to be there all the time. And also, it is important that you show up when you are scheduled to meet with a coach. All of us have been frustrated by students who sign up to meet and then fail to come. There have been times that we have stayed just for you, but you are not here. Take some responsibility. Be where you are supposed to be.
Speaking of which, when the bus is supposed to leave at 6:00, that does not mean 6:20! I know that we generally arrive at a tournament with time to spare, so maybe you do not think there is a rush. But the reason we get there so "early" is that extemp prep begins 45 minutes before the rest of the tournament. On Saturday, Mark had to run off the bus to get to his prep on time. And he barely was able to do so. We schedule departure times for a reason. Please consider others and set multiple alarms; otherwise, we will be leaving without you (as we did leave this week without those who were even later than the unreasonably late time we waited for).
This is a lot. And it sounds very negative. I don't mean for it to: I want to look forward to the part of our season that (finally!) does not overlap with plays and sports with enthusiasm and excitement. But I do need you all to know that it is this week that makes or breaks it. When we make the decision about who can come to Bradley, it will not be people who have not shown an interest in being members of a team. And Bradley is the next big step, and the most fun we'll have all season.
So let's dive in this week, have a great time, get a ton of work done, and enthusiastically and creatively put on our best festival yet. Our leaders have decided that, in our festival of musicals, we are going to be Sweeney Todd, so let's find ways of having fun with that. (Other schools are going to be playing around with their assigned shows.) And let's get some folks into the experiments events: Original Prose and Poetry, Wretched Interp, and Improvisational Duet Acting.
Signups for both LFHS and Bradley open tomorrow. I need both filled by Wednesday.
KT
Nonetheless, we have lots of work to do.
This week is the week that will define and either make or break our season. That sounds melodramatic, but it is not. Whether we can come together as a team to pull off a successful tournament and a strong showing at that tournament will put a stamp on us that will determine who we are this year.
So far, we are a group of folks who show up once in a while, when it is convenient, and as a whole (though with clear exceptions) are not dedicated to each other, even if we are dedicated to our own performances and pieces. (Sometimes we are not even dedicated to that.) There have been many factors that have played into this. Some have been outside of our control; some have not.
Here is what I know:
This is called the Forensics Team. We draw from a variety of places, and before our season begins everyone is involved in other things: plays, sports, etc. We get that; we always have. No one expects forensics to be the number one priority for very many students from the start of the school year (though it's always nice when it is). However, once that play or that sports season ends, this is your team. You've got to be here. You've got to realize that your commitment to this team, to this program, is every bit as important as your commitment to whatever other extracurricular activity you are involved in. That is the only way we can continue to have the success we have been able to achieve in the past.
Plays or athletics demand that you attend practice five days a week after school. Forensics does not demand this, but in the brief season from November through December we expect it. Circumstances may affect your availability. Maybe there are days each week you cannot make. That is all the more reason you need to redouble your effort on the other days. And the reason you come is not only to work on your own pieces; it is to help others with theirs, to watch and give feedback, to provide audiences. Team has to have meaning or we are just a bunch of random people speaking to walls.
Things will change in January. Expectations will change. Once a week meeting with a coach will be enough for polished pieces by then. But that is not the case now. At this time of the year, when the season is in its fledgling stages, we need to be there all the time. And also, it is important that you show up when you are scheduled to meet with a coach. All of us have been frustrated by students who sign up to meet and then fail to come. There have been times that we have stayed just for you, but you are not here. Take some responsibility. Be where you are supposed to be.
Speaking of which, when the bus is supposed to leave at 6:00, that does not mean 6:20! I know that we generally arrive at a tournament with time to spare, so maybe you do not think there is a rush. But the reason we get there so "early" is that extemp prep begins 45 minutes before the rest of the tournament. On Saturday, Mark had to run off the bus to get to his prep on time. And he barely was able to do so. We schedule departure times for a reason. Please consider others and set multiple alarms; otherwise, we will be leaving without you (as we did leave this week without those who were even later than the unreasonably late time we waited for).
This is a lot. And it sounds very negative. I don't mean for it to: I want to look forward to the part of our season that (finally!) does not overlap with plays and sports with enthusiasm and excitement. But I do need you all to know that it is this week that makes or breaks it. When we make the decision about who can come to Bradley, it will not be people who have not shown an interest in being members of a team. And Bradley is the next big step, and the most fun we'll have all season.
So let's dive in this week, have a great time, get a ton of work done, and enthusiastically and creatively put on our best festival yet. Our leaders have decided that, in our festival of musicals, we are going to be Sweeney Todd, so let's find ways of having fun with that. (Other schools are going to be playing around with their assigned shows.) And let's get some folks into the experiments events: Original Prose and Poetry, Wretched Interp, and Improvisational Duet Acting.
Signups for both LFHS and Bradley open tomorrow. I need both filled by Wednesday.
KT
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
huntley and beyond
So far, this is what Huntley looks like:
If any of this is incorrect, I need to know ASAP!!! And you all need to get in here to practice!
We had a light turnout at Tuesday's meeting due to the F/S play. Please see the earlier post for important information if you were not in attendance.
LFHS Ferry Fest is next week!!! It will take a lot of work to get ready for it. We'll need everyone every day if at all possible.
This is what our commitment for Ferry Fest looks like:
Let's change that in a hurry! The final three are experimental events: Original Prose and Poetry (strut your stuff with verse or prose readings of your own pieces!), Improvisational Duet Acting (just what it implies), and Wretched Interp (a hilarious mixture of Prose and HI with the most unlikely scripts possible).
Let's get going!!!
--kt
| DDA | Megan/Jeffrey | Lain/Barrett | | |
| DI | Julia H | Sarah | | |
| HDA | Julia C/ Elizabeth | | | |
| HI | Lain | Danielle ?? | Catherine | |
| ES | Mark | Jeffrey | | |
| IS | Neil | Jeff | | |
| OC | Neil | | | |
| OD | | Catherine | | |
| OO | Danielle | Mark | | |
| PR | Megan | Brittney | Sarah | Grace |
| RS | Jeff | | | |
| SOS | | | | |
| VR | Sondra | Julia H | Julia C | |
If any of this is incorrect, I need to know ASAP!!! And you all need to get in here to practice!
We had a light turnout at Tuesday's meeting due to the F/S play. Please see the earlier post for important information if you were not in attendance.
LFHS Ferry Fest is next week!!! It will take a lot of work to get ready for it. We'll need everyone every day if at all possible.
This is what our commitment for Ferry Fest looks like:
| DDA | | | | |
| | | | | |
| DI | | | | |
| HDA | | | | |
| | | | | |
| HI | | | | |
| | | | | |
| ES | | | | |
| IS | | | | |
| OC | | | | |
| OD | | | | |
| OO | | | | |
| PR | | | | |
| | | | | |
| RS | | | | |
| | | | | |
| SOS | | | | |
| VR | | | | |
| | | | | |
| OPP | | | | |
| IDA | | | | |
| | | | | |
| WI | | | | |
Let's change that in a hurry! The final three are experimental events: Original Prose and Poetry (strut your stuff with verse or prose readings of your own pieces!), Improvisational Duet Acting (just what it implies), and Wretched Interp (a hilarious mixture of Prose and HI with the most unlikely scripts possible).
Let's get going!!!
--kt
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