Hard at work during听a Friday听practice听at the 蘑菇视频网 (CWI)听Nampa听Campus Academic Building, Bryce听Funkhauser听of听the College's听Speech and Debate team听fine-tunes his听dramatic interpretation (DI)听speech听he has been working on听for months. In a moment of passionate acting听and memorization, he recites a beautiful听piece听entitled, 鈥淓levator to Salvation鈥�,听written by听Brad Lawrence.听Preparation听is听key in development听of听his听national caliber听performance听at听the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament听held in Nashville, Tennessee,听March 14-17.听听
Each听competitor听brings different strengths and talents to the team, teaching and assisting each other along the way.听Coach,听Mark Galaviz,听lends his expertise as a听former national听champion speech听and听debate听competitor听to听Funkhauser.听In turn,听Bryce assists fellow team mate, Garrett Ellison.听听
鈥淲e bounce ideas back and forth to get fresh eyes,鈥澨齭aid听Funkhauser.听鈥淎fter staring at it for a while,听it鈥檚 difficult to see new things to improve.鈥澨�
鈥淭he听team sets aside numerous clinic听hours听every听week,鈥澨齭aid听Jim Gatfield,听Director of Forensics.听鈥淲e are successful because we work together so well.鈥澨�
Selecting听a dramatic reading听brings a different feel and suspense to the听audience.听Standing center stage, preparing the voice of their character,听a small, black听binder is pulled chest high. Opening听wide before speaking, the authors' characters come to life in this storytelling听event.听The听pages in the binder听represent the author's words, interpreted听in听a听DI听speech.听
"A听page turns as an indicator for an audience听a new scene is beginning听and听symbolize progression听in the piece,鈥澨齭aid听Funkhauser,听speaking of听the purpose and meaning听of the binder.听鈥淚t has my entire speech in it,听and听I might look down in case something听happens. The听best is when you can look down just as the judge is not looking at you,鈥澨齢e jests.听锟继�
Practicing a piece for a period of two months听up to a year听may seem repetitive;听however, it is the work听of听champions.听
鈥淭hey are trying听to make the piece听(speech)听as perfect as it can听be. There is no听main structure change听now,鈥澨鼼atfield听explains.听鈥淲e make sure the time is consistent,听memorization is sharp,听and听tweak听small things. Taking a piece听that is done and smoothing it down till it鈥檚 as fine as it can be.听Students听select听锟糰 piece that speaks to them. It can be kind of cathartic听seeing听the characters听come听through.鈥澨�
Of听great importance听to听a听busy听Speech and Debate听team is听staying听healthy听and听keeping up on their听studies.听In听the form of听锟糵atherly听and passionate听advice from coaches听to help the听team prepare for听Nationals,听Galaviz听said,听鈥淲e听are with you.鈥澨�
Drink water, take a nap, eat something that is听healthy,"听Gatfield听exclaimed.听听
As the team moves forward听on their road to nationals, the picture comes sharply into focus.听Motivation, hard听work,听irreplaceable contributions听from听coaches and veteran members of the听CWI Speech and Debate team,听such as锟继考Funkhauser.听In the听end, the听individuals on this team are amazingly talented and听hard-working听individuals.听
Andrew Carnegie, a听well-known听business magnate,听once said,听"Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward听team听objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results."听
With a common vision of success at the national听level, CWI's听Speech and Debate team can听channel听their energy to help guide and lift each other along the way in听Tennessee at Nationals.
Scott Keene
听
Keene, a student in CWI's听Communication program, is听following the Speech and Debate team's road to nationals as part of an internship for his Communication Capstone class.听