Barton County Community College forensics team members who placed in individual events competition in the 26th Annual Novice Nationals Championship tournament March 21-24 in Pensacola, Fla., include, left to right, Nathan Weiss, Hoisington sophomore, who placed first in the nation in Program Oral Interpretation; Courtney Hensley, Lyons freshman; Danielle Reisner, Hoisington freshman; and Sunny Branick, Russell sophomore.

Nathan Weiss

For more information, contact Jason Edgar, 620-786-1153.

March 25, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Prepared by: Linda Jerke
           
Barton Forensics’ Nathan Weiss Wins National Championship in Individual Event

Barton County Community College forensics students traveled to Pensacola, Fla., March 21-24 to compete in the 26th Annual Novice Nationals Championship. The tournament included 260 competitors representing 39 schools and 23 states for the national championship honoring the best first-year competitors in the country.

In Individual Events, Nathan Weiss, a Hoisington sophomore, placed first in Program Oral Interpretation, making him the national champion for first-year competitors in that event, which requires acting in a 10-minute program that is a mix of prose, poetry and dramatic literature.

“This is truly an exciting accomplishment for Nathan and Barton forensics,” noted Jason Edgar, Barton’s forensics coach. “It is the first of hopefully many national championships for him and for the program.”

In other individual events competition, Weiss joined Sunny Branick, Russell sophomore, Danielle Reisner, Hoisington freshman, and Courtney Hensley, Lyons freshman, to participate in the Reader’s Theatre national event. The team placed second overall, finishing as national runner-up behind Carson-Newman University.
Other notable Barton entries included Reisner, who placed two points shy of final-round competition in Persuasive Speaking, and the duo of Weiss and Hensley, who were three points shy of final-round competition in Duo Interpretation.

Although competing with only four other community colleges, Barton placed first overall among community colleges.
The Barton forensics team will travel to Baytown, Texas, to participate in the International Public Debate Association Nationals Debate Tournament March 27 at Lee College. Currently, Barton is ranked ninth nationally among all schools in IPDA debate.