On Friday, Central students had the opportunity to see the Forensics speech team perform during school in the annual Forensics showcase.

Throughout the day, members of the Forensics team who qualified for Feb. 11 sectionals performed their pieces for English classes  in the auditorium. These members included seniors Gen Carter, Dan Cassin, Caroline Nyheim, Rosie Cappetta, and Priyanka Aribindi, juniors Ana Carell, Jena Sugay, and Shaila Sundram, and sophomores Laura Nelson and Georgie Sadler.

“The sectional showcase is a chance for Central’s speech team show the entire school, or whoever wants to come, what we do at these tournaments. Essentially at the sectional showcase all the events—because we qualified all of them at regionals—were performed at different periods,” said senior Dan Cassin, varsity Forensics member, “It’s a great way to show the school the hard work that we put in.”

Some of the types of pieces performed included speeches, where members discussed possible solution to real world problems, readings of poetry a prose, impromptu events, radio or extemporaneous speaking, and acting events like dramatic or humorous interpretation and duets.

Cassin, a veteran of the Forensics showcase, believes that this was a great opportunity.

“I have been lucky enough to be a part of our state series team for three years and so I have participated in this event three times, and each year it just seems to become more and more enjoyable,” Cassin said.

The main goal of the showcase was to prepare the competitors for sectionals and to promote the team.

“The showcase is an awesome opportunity for the team to get some extra practice before sectionals and to get our name out there, so that more people will join [Forensics],” said senior Gen Carter, another varsity Forensics member.

Cassin said, “the amount of talent you see at our sectional is unbelievable—we also have one of the hardest sectionals in the state—but it is an incredible experience as an audience member as well.”

In order to make it to state, participants had to score in the top three in their events. Hinsdale Central has fared well at state before, and even at the national level, most notably 2010 with National Champion in Original Oratory Vinay Nayak. The team will have nine people advancing to the state meet this year. Check out the results!