Elgin Community College’s Forensics Team earned multiple individual and team awards from the Phi Rho Pi national speech and debate tournament. This year’s tournament was hosted in Bethesda, Maryland from April 10-15.

“It was a great season,” said Tim Anderson, Forensics Team head coach. “I always emphasized on having a positive attitude and mindset and this group of students showcased these things.”

Anderson received the Collie-Taylor Coach Fellowship Award which is an award voted on by students.

Second-year student Hannah Carpenter received a bronze award for her speech on why people should talk to strangers.

“It kinda played off the stranger danger thing but going against that idea,” Carpenter said. “It was a speech to entertain and be persuasive.”

During the tournament, third-year student Damian Hacz mostly worked on on-the-spot speeches.

“I would have 30 minutes to research my topic then debate on it,” Hacz said. “One of my debates was about Elon Musk whether he is doing good or bad for the world, I won that debate.”

The Forensics Team received bronze awards for both an individual event sweepstakes as well as in an overall sweepstakes.

“Whether we get awards or not, I’m proud of the work that the team puts in,” Anderson said.

Besides the competition portion of the trip, the team was able to visit the nearby city and get to know students from other schools.

“I thought it was a really good experience because you got to see a new variety of people,” Carpenter said.