The greatest fear most people have is the fear of public speaking. My students have come to love all the individual and group events in forensic (speaking) competition. For these students there will not be a day that goes by in their lives that they will not use something they learned in forensics.
Our students come from rural homes that are largely classified as low socio-economic.
Many are limited in their experiences outside of school. Some will not emerge from the hollows where they live until school starts again in the fall. There is a low college-going rate among our students and the welfare rolls here are quite long. The largest employer in our county is the school system, so you know what an economically depressed area this is. If a student wants to take forensics class he or she will not have to worry about having the appropriate clothing, shoes or materials. We make sure they have what they need. We pay entry fees for tournaments and the cost for transportation and, in the case of a two day tournament, lodging. We provide a large portion of the funds needed to feed them during tournaments. We are constantly looking for grants and conducting fundraisers to keep this worthwhile program going. These "diamonds in the rough" emerge as polished future leaders and citizens.
My Project
The students will be able to work on debate cases, both on the Internet and through word processing programs. Students will be able to find information for use in writing speeches and introductory remarks on the material they will deliver or perform. They will have guaranteed access to materials without worrying about getting into our overbooked computer labs at the school. Students will also be able to check out the laptops so they may write cases, speeches or introductions for prose, poetry and plays they will interpret at home. My eventual goal is for each member of our growing class (team) to have a notebook computer to use.
The availability and use of this much-needed technology will assist my forensics students in developing skills in a multitude of ways.
If they are prepared, they are more confident; if they are confident, they will be successful in any competitive or life event.
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