Upcoming 'Toast to the Team' Reception

The Tennessee State University Forensics Team will be having a fundraiser on August 31, 2010. It's called Toast To The Team, A Literature Haven. We are excited to announce that Roscoe Orman, "Gordon" of Sesame Street will be chairing the event, and celebrity guests will be reading poetry, prose and drama.



More details to come - I look forward to seeing you there!

Phresh Mic

Last Tuesday, March 23, the entertainment group Phresh Pham hosted an open mic competition to benefit the TSU Forensics Team. The event drew musical and spoken word performers from TSU, Vanderbilt, Fisk and even a couple of area high schools. The event was judged by local artists and TSU faculty including Coach K, Coach C and Professor LaMarque. Several students on the forensics team provided entertainment between competitive performances. Congratulations to Curtis Fields for being named the top performer of the evening.

Forensics team member Wil Taylor and his guitar.

Forensics team member Terra Strong with a performance of original poetry and music.

Team Vice President Veronica James showing support

Forensicator Byron Harvey singing something soulful

TSU Forensics freshman Kelli Volk showing off her powerful singing voice

Coach K & Coach C

Team members & coaches with Austin Ashford of Phresh Pham

Some Great Photos

Hello! The team will be spending the next couple of weeks preparing for the American Forensics Association National Individual Events Tournament at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. In the meantime, I want to share some pictures taken at our sit-in presentation last month. The photos were taken by Latrisha Jemison, the Senior Vice President/Regional Community Affairs Manager at Regions Financial, and a supporter of TSU forensics. Thanks Latrisha!

Click on the photo for a full-size image.

More Sit-In Press

The Tennessean published this about the team.

This picture of Khi Gilkey and Chanel Lake is from the Tennessean. I can't find the name of the person I should credit, but huge thanks to the Tennessean for this great pic.

Nashville Sit-In Presentations

Yesterday, the Tennessee State Forensics team presented a performance commemorating the Nashville lunch counter sit-ins of 1960. The event was held at Bethlehem Center in Nashville, and was sponsored by Regions Bank. Students of all ages, and a variety of adults - including two men who had participated the sit-ins - were in attendance. The sit-ins were an important factor in the desegregation of Nashville. Not only is this February Black History Month, but it is also the 50th anniversary of the sit-ins. Channel 4 News (WSMV) had this story about our presentation.

The TSU Forensics Team varsity members (from l-r): Terra Strong, Maximilian Cole, Andrea Durham, Veronica James and Lanial Madden

Waiting to be interviewed by the newspeople!

Practicing for the performance - what a sharp looking group!

TSU is the #1 Forensics Team in the State of Tennessee!

The TSU Forensics Team just returned from the Tennessee Intercollegiate Forensics Association State Championship at Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tennessee, and we are happy to say that we took First Place as a team, and had four of the top six overall individual speakers. Terra Strong placed first in Pentathlon, Andrea Durham placed second. The team won a total of 31 awards at the tournament including 7 first place awards. Also, TSU won every interpretation event (Poetry, Dramatic, Prose, Duo and Program of Interpretation) and had three of the tournament's Top Novices.

Pictured (from l-r): front row - Veronica James, Lanial Madden, Maximilian Cole, Chanel Lake, Khi Gilkey; middle row - Marlon Lipscomb, Byron Harvey, Kelli Volk, Terra Strong, Andrea Durham, Derrick Johnson, Carissa Paul; back row - Terrance Kendrick, Randy Taylor, Ashley Bishop, Wil Taylor, Austin Ashford, Dominique Nance

Full results:

First Place, Team Sweepstakes - Team: Tennessee State University

First Place, Pentathlon Speaking - Student: Terra Strong

First Place, Poetry Interpretation - Student: Terra Strong

First Place, Program of Oral Interpretation - Student: Maximilian Cole

First Place, Duo Interpretation - Students: Andrea Durham and Terra Strong

First Place, Dramatic Interpretation - Student: Ashley Bishop

First Place, Prose Interpretation - Student: Austin Ashford

Second Place, Pentathlon Speaking - Student: Andrea Durham

Second Place, Program of Oral Interpretation - Student: Andrea Durham

Second Place, After Dinner Speaking - Student: Kelli Volk

Second Place, Impromptu Speaking - Student: Derrick Johnson

Second Place, Informative Speaking - Student: Lanial Madden

Second Place, Dramatic Interpretation - Student: Byron Harvey

Third Place, Rhetorical Criticism - Student: Terra Strong

Third Place, Poetry Interpretation - Student: Wil Taylor

Third Place, Informative Speaking - Student: Veronica James

Third Place, Dramatic Interpretation - Student: Wil Taylor

Third Place, After Dinner Speaking - Student: Derrick Johnson

Fourth Place, Duo Interpretation - Students: Terra Strong and Randy Taylor

Fourth Place, Impromptu Speaking - Student: Maximilian Cole

Fourth Place, After Dinner Speaking - Student: Veronica James

Fourth Place, Poetry Interpretation - Student: Wil Taylor

Fifth Place, Pentathlon Speaking - Student: Maximilian Cole

Fifth Place, Program of Oral Interpretation - Student: Lanial Madden

Fifth Place, Dramatic Interpretation - Student: Khi Gilkey

Sixth Place, Pentathlon Speaking - Student: Lanial Madden

Sixth Place, Duo Interpretation - Students: Lanial Madden and Derrick Johnson

Sixth Place, Persuasive Speaking - Student: Khi Gilkey

Semi-Finals, Impromptu Speaking - Student: Byron Harvey

Top Novice, After Dinner Speaking - Student: Kelli Volk

Top Novice, Prose Interpretation - Student: Austin Ashford

Top Novice, Dramatic Interpretation - Student: Ashley Bishop

We will be taking some time off from traveling and competing to prepare for the National Championships in April, and to work on community presentations. Because 2010 is the 50th anniversary of the Nashville Sit-ins, we will be involved in helping Nashville celebrate this movement. Recently, we performed "We sat down, so we could stand for the solution: The Nashville Sit-in movement" at the 29th Annual Nashville Conference on African American History and Culture, and we will be representing TSU at another event later this week.

2009 Photos