BA's Taylor Norton took second in the National Forensics tournament for impromptu speaking. He made top 30 for original oratory.

BHS, RHS, Woodland speakers also do well at tourney

Brentwood Home Page news reports
Brentwood Academy's Taylor Norton took second in the nation in impromptu speaking at the National Forensics League tournament in Dallas, while Brentwood High, Ravenwood High and Woodland Middle also had some top finishes.

Ravenwood's Lydia Phillips made school history by placing 11th in humorous interpretation, and Maddie Mucci was in the top 30 in original oratory in the high school division.

Brentwood High's Chris Mueller reached the semifinals in expository speaking. Patrick Kellett and Michael Zoorbo of BHS also ranked in the Top 30 in public forum debate.

BA's middle school also had a strong showing in the National Forensics Junior League portion of the tournament. Will Boling was second in impromptu speaking, and Cooper Smith and Madison Reynolds second in duo interpretation.

"What was neat was that all of the Tennessee kids were so supportive of each other," said Carol Birdsong, Williamson County Schools communications director. "They were cheering each other on as some continued on the competition trail! What a great group of students.

"The city of Brentwood, Williamson County Schools and the state of Tennessee were all well represented. "

BA's Norton also placed in the top 30 in original oratory for the high school portion.

BA's middle school competitors

In the middle school division, Michael Donisi finished fourth in humorous interpretation, and Donisi and Ellie Lovell placed fourth in duo interpretation.

Boling added a fifth-place in original oratory, and Smith and Michael Rankin were semifinalists to make the top 12 in humorous interpretation.  

For Woodland Middle, Ellie Marquardt advanced to the semifinals of prose and quarterfinals of original oratory, while Emily Cullum made the humorous interpretation quarterfinals.

Brentwood High's Eli Grimes and Mueller both competed in duo interpretation, and Natalie Bennie participated in the Sen. John C. Stennis National Congressional Debate.

Ravenwood's Ross Birdsong made the top 64 in poetry and competed in humorous interpretation as well.

BA's Smith and Rankin competed in impromptu as well. Lovell also made nationals in prose, and Reynolds competed in dramatic interpretation.

Deaton Hildabrand competed in prose, poetry, extemporaneous and impromptu for Woodland Middle.

Also competing for Woodland were: Reilly O'Connell, Marquardt  and Andy Gordon (humorous intepretation); Cullum, Caleb Smith and Reagan Anthony (prose); and Amanda Miserocchi,  Maria Malchow, Savannah Wills and Ellen Sudarshen (dramatic interpretation); O'Connell- Miserocchi , Wills-Malchow, Smith- Gordon, Cullum-Olivia Ranseen and Anthony- Sudarshen (duo interpretation);  Savannah Wills (story telling); and Ranseen (declamation).