Recent Danville High School graduate Drew Lane placed fourth in dramatic performance at the national speech tournament sponsored by the National Catholic Forensic League May 26 and 27. Towson University as well as Baltimore area high schools and convention centers sponsored the 61st annual contest, drawingmore than 2,000 students.
In addition to Lane, seven other DHS students won honors at the contest. Madeline Salinas and Joe Weston advanced to the quarterfinals in original oratory and extemporaneous speaking, respectively. Advancing to the octofinals, or top 48, were Sue Cook and Emma Jackson in declamation; John Thompson and Sarabeth Marlowe in duo interpretation; and Nate Johnson in original oratory.
More than 230 entries competed in each event for four preliminary rounds with award rounds beginning for the top 48 entries in each event at round five.
Weston, Thompson, Marlowe and Johnson will join fellow Speaking Admirals Calvin Steber, Phoebe Ross, Dylan Crow and Isabelle Ballard at the National Forensic League's national speech and debate tournament, the largest academic contest in the world, June 10-15 in Indianapolis. The students won the right to represent the Kentucky district during the district tournament in March at Centre College.
