December 2, 2022
The Tallahassee Community College Speech and Debate Team, also known as TCC Forensics, brought home a big win in the Autumn in the Mountains forensics tournament on the campus of Berry College in Rome, Ga. The squad brought home the Overall Team Sweepstakes Award, besting the University of Alabama, Carson Newman University, UNC-Charlotte, and others in the victory. Prior to the TCC win, the University of Alabama had won the title for 28 consecutive years.
The TCC team also boasted four of the top six individual speakers at the event. Amanda Holton placed first, Allison Grove placed second, Elizabeth Blair placed third, and Aliyah Salce placed sixth.
Overall, the team amassed 21 finalists across all events. Madison Reed brought home first-place honors in Dramatic Interpretation, Program Oral Interpretation, and Prose Interpretation. Elizabeth Blair took first place in Slam Poetry while Amanda Holton and Cat Ostrowski received first in Duo Interpretation.
Runners-up included Allison Grove in Extemporaneous Speaking, Aliyah Salce in Slam Poetry, and Amanda Holton in Program Oral Interpretation. Trevor Bell, Janelle Dixon, and Grace Duvet also brought home awards in Extemporaneous Speaking, Impromptu Speaking, Persuasive Speaking, and Impromptu Sales. Cassidy Cummings and Pamela Healy also competed at the event.
Next up for the team is a trip to Hofstra University to compete with colleges and universities from across the country.