Season Seven: Nationals 2010
SpeechGeek Season Seven: Nationals 2010
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Quality forensics performance material is often difficult to find. SpeechGeek provides high school coaches and competitors with scripts that are not only challenging, but also of strong literary merit. Each issue of SpeechGeek contains five scripts in a variety of events: prose interpretation, poetry interpretation, humorous interpretation, dramatic interpretation, and duo interpretation. SpeechGeek’s interp scripts are written by winning authors who know what it takes to make final rounds at all levels of competition.
Senseless by Katherine Raul Dramatic Interpretation
Ellie, a middle-aged woman who has been deaf most of her life, begins the selection with a smile. “Some people think it’s ridiculous, a deaf woman with an iPhone. But that’s just ignorance, and there’s no app for that,” she explains. A selection that offers the performer an exceptional vocal challenge and additional physical skill by learning American Sign Language to boot, Senseless is the perfect piece for a seasoned performer looking to take things to the next level.
Pinnochia by Natalie Pronk Humorous Interpretation
Being a teenager is hard. When you’re a papier-mâché puppet made from fashion magazines, well, it’s even more difficult. Natalie Pronk returns to SpeechGeek with an outstanding humorous interp script for female performers. Mean Girls meets a fairy tale classic that is sure to wow audiences.
God in a Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Clint Snyder Dramatic Interpretation
Alex is a teen that has lost sight of the meaning in life and makes a plan to commit suicide, but at the last second Alex is saved by the idea that he is not the only one looking for something more, an idea that presents itself in the form of a grilled cheese sandwich. A charming contribution from newcomer Clint Snyder.
On My Own Two Feet by Clint Snyder Duo Interpretation (Female/Female)
Two sisters try to make sense of what has become of their family is this outstanding duo for two female performers. Jane is strong-willed and tough. She uses jokes or anger as a defense mechanism to cover up her pain over her parents’ divorce. Caryn is a sensitive girl with pale features and a genuine curiosity about the world. She tries to find the good in everything and everyone. These confliction personalities are the perfect matchup for an exploration into loss and finding oneself anew.
Psychobabble Cliché Blues by Clint Snyder Duo Interpretation
Charlotte, a dignified businesswoman, goes to see a psychologist because of her life-long fear of clowns. The free spirited psychologist, Michelle, agitates Charlotte with her string of cliché psychobabble and ends up revealing that she may be in need of some therapy herself.
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Season Seven: Spring 2010
Quality forensics performance material is often difficult to find. SpeechGeek provides high school coaches and competitors with scripts that are not only challenging, but also of strong literary merit. Each issue of SpeechGeek contains five scripts in a variety of events: prose interpretation, poetry interpretation, humorous interpretation, dramatic interpretation, and duo interpretation. SpeechGeek’s interp scripts are written by winning authors who know what it takes to make final rounds at all levels of competition.
The Genetically Altered Book of Genesis by Connor McElroy
Humorous Interpretation
It’s been a busy week for the Lord. After creating the heavens and the earth, he moves on to his greatest project yet…man. The debut selection from Connor McElroy reexamines the creation story with a not-so-bright Adam, a sssssslithering serpent, and other wacky characters. A great selection for students who enjoy performing teched out pieces!
The Relationship by Doug McConnaha
Dramatic Interpretation (Male/Female)
McConnaha follows a couple through several stages of their lives together. The story begins on the playground and progresses as the two young lovers become married adults. With winks and nods to the audience, John and Nikki pass along the laughs and the frustrations of sharing your life with another person.
Ants by Clint Snyder
Dramatic Interpretation
A young summer camp counselor knows what it’s like to feel insecure and need to please other people. Sam can see these traits in Clark, almost as a reflection, and hopes to find some peace by solving Clark’s own problems because he is still too insecure to face his own. Snyder presents a monologue that shows that no choices are easy, especially when they are life changing. Is it better to step forward to save a life, or is it any of our business?
The Art of Theater by Doug McConnaha
Duo Interpretation
An acting class turns bizarre in this selection from Doug McConnaha. The artistic director of a private school reaches out to his students, and they reach back with enthusiasm. It’s only too bad they’re all terrible actors. This duo will provide both actors with room to perform and stretch their abilities.
The Conversation Zone by Doug McConnaha
Humorous Interpretation
Have you ever been caught in a conversation that never ends? A conversation that goes on and on and says nothing? Why do people have the need to tell you all the personal and intimate details of their lives? We’re about to meet several people who all have “stories.” Imagine yourself sitting on a plane, standing in a line, or trapped in a room with one of these people. Welcome to: The Conversation Zone.
SGP: F/F Duo, Vol. 2
Quality forensics performance material is often difficult to find. SpeechGeek provides high school coaches and competitors with scripts that are not only challenging, but also of strong literary merit. Each issue of SpeechGeek contains five scripts in a variety of events: prose interpretation, poetry interpretation, humorous interpretation, dramatic interpretation, and duo interpretation. SpeechGeek’s interp scripts are written by winning authors who know what it takes to make final rounds at all levels of competition.
This special issues covers the script request that we receive most often: duos for two female competitors. This mix of humorous and dramatic scripts is sure to wow audiences.
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A Brief Primer on the Female of the Species by Julia Neva
Duo Interpretation
A professor and her graduate student walk the audience through the high and low moments in the history of the female of the human species. Marvel at the first time in history when a man stole a woman’s great idea. See Joan of Arc outwit the French military leadership…and get burned at the stake! Finally, follow the Suffragettes as they fight for equality among genders—a fight that remains ongoing today. Neva’s blend of outright humor and commentary will provide students with a wide-ranging performance that is sure to please audiences.
Lessons in Throwing Your Voice by Julia Neva
Duo Interpretation
Emily is surrounded by dummies. Emily’s pregnant mother can’t seem to get it through her head that Emily isn’t coping well with their new situation. Count Dork-ula, her mother’s new boyfriend, is as nerdy and absent-minded as they come. A kind gesture goes awry when Emily is given a ventriloquist’s doll as a gift. Sassy Sally is more than a hunk of wood. The fake doll keeps it real with Emily about her mom’s divorce, her new sibling that’s on the way, and the other gripes at the front of her mind. This duo brings tremendous potential for a tech-stravaganza for two talented performers!
Swerve by Amanda Thompson
Duo Interpretation
Callie lost her boyfriend of three years in an automobile accident. Though she pretends all is well, her friends and family are worried that all is not as it seems. Emma, her best friend, is charged with the task of getting Callie to talk about the traumatic experience. Thompson serves a drama of trust and friends, of moving on when there’s no other choice.
Thirty-Six Minutes by Jesse Gall
Duo Interpretation
When their mother must finally move into an assisted care facility, two sisters sort through the remnants of their mother’s possessions. What remains is more than simple possessions. Tremendous resentment over life choices—the decision to stay or go—forces Kate and Deb to confront the decisions they have to make and those that were made long ago.
The New Girl by Julia Neva
Duo Interpretation
Kimmy Kilgore was one of the country’s top young TV celebrities. After the cancellation of her show, she suffered a fate worse than death: being sent to public school. On her first day as “the new girl” she meets Sarah, who is also new to the school. Though they come from different worlds, the two girls help each other realize that no matter how great our differences are, the commonalities we share mean we are never alone.
Quality forensics performance material is often difficult to find. SpeechGeek provides high school coaches and competitors with scripts that are not only challenging, but also of strong literary merit. Each issue of SpeechGeek contains five scripts in a variety of events: prose interpretation, poetry interpretation, humorous interpretation, dramatic interpretation, and duo interpretation. SpeechGeek’s interp scripts are written by winning authors who know what it takes to make final rounds at all levels of competition.
Enter our online store to purchase this issue.
The Only Way I Know How by Sean Copelan
Dramatic Interpretation
Amanda a single mother doing the best she can. She is a rising professional who finds looking for love difficult due to her responsibilities with work and with her disabled son, Clay. A her blind date unfolds, she must balance the awkwardness of Clay’s presence while trying to make a good first impression. This championship DI is ready for an excellence female competitor.
The Rules of the House by Ryan Harbinger
Dramatic Interpretation
Harbinger’s drama reflects upon the life of John, an African-American former butler now in his eighties. Decades earlier, John and Evelyn, the lady of the house, became close in the constant absence of her husband. As friendship became something more, the clash of class and culture became apparent. John questions if love is worth fighting for? When the fight begins, however, what are the inevitable consequences?
Attempts at Being a Savior by Rachel Wiggington
Prose Interpretation
Bottled up emotions only lead to explosions, explains the narrator of Wiggington’s short story. The narrator of the story realizes that sooner or later, you have to grow up. That often comes with “pulling up” or taking those inevitable steps that move oneself from the current phase of life to the next. When her sister needs her the most, she pulls enough for both of them despite being pushed away.
Things Forgotten by Rachel Wiggington
Duo Interpretation (Female/Male)
Rebecca suspects her daughter may be a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of her husband. Everyone else says her fears are irrational. She turns to therapy to keep from coming apart. Over the course of her conversations, we find that Rebecca was abused as a child by her brother and is projecting those fears at her husband. This complex and gripping story is sure to challenge performers.
The Prodigy by Richard Shelton
Prose Interpretation
The protagonist of Shelton’s short story is the one of the most famous people on the internet. With a bone disorder limiting his abilities to act like a normal kid, he begins to play the cello. His stellar ability to craft and share music has drawn attention from far and wide. When the music stops, he must find a new rhythm to guide his life.
Oratory Review Sample
SpeechGeek.com is excited to announce its newest service: professional quality oratory editing. Is your speech missing that extra something that will take you from next out to tournament champion? National champion coaches will help to give your oratory the edge over the rest of the round.
Our editing service includes detailed help and ideas for structure, research, introductions, titles, humor, tone and polish. We welcome any quality draft– first to final. At a low cost, it’s an affordable, quality perspective that will help you become a better orator. All drafts are reviewed and returned no later than one week from receipt of the draft.
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1. Add this product to your cart to purchase our editing service.
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Helpful advice and a better speech isn’t the result of thousands of dollars spent at a summer camp. It’s the result of quality instruction!
SpeechGeek Oratory Editing is offered in four packages:
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Excellence: The Excellence package includes the initial review of a speech. At any point between now and NFL nationals, a second draft of the speech may be submitted for additional review.
Premiere: The Premiere package allows the opportunity to a speech throughout the season. Our staff will review a speech up to four times between now and the end of the season. This is a great option for students who want additional insight before state, district qualifiers, and the national tournaments.
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This week’s topic brief is a sample of the SpeechGeek Extemp HOTtopics service. Each Tuesday, 25 United States and 25 International topics are delivered via email. These practice questions are a wonderful resource for teams to stay abreast of current events and anticipate the questions they may encounter at the next tournament. In addition to the weekly question set, HOTtopics provides a brief on a topic area of significance. Each week’s brief provides overview, analysis, potential questions, and articles for further reading.
Budget Deficit Politics
By Logan Scisco
During the “off season” after NFL Nationals, the issue of the budget deficit has come to be a major one in American politics. It has the potential to shape the outcome of the midterm elections in 2010 and is playing a role in President Barack Obama’s declining popularity ratings. As extempers get ready for the 2009-2010 season, which starts in less than six weeks with the Wake Forest National Early Bird, they will face questions about an array of economic issues such as unemployment, the effectiveness of the stimulus package, and the level of international trade as well as the controversial issue of healthcare reform. All of these issues have something to do with the budget of the United States government and by proxy the deficit the U.S. government currently finds itself facing.
Americans in the late 1990s got used to seeing fiscal discipline on Capitol Hill between the executive and legislative branches. President Bill Clinton worked with Republican leaders on Capitol Hill, a relationship that was often tense through impeachment proceedings and a government shutdown, to craft a budget that was balanced and that ran a surplus totaling $128 billion. In fact, the major issue of the 2000 election between Vice-President Al Gore and then-Texas Governor George W. Bush was over what to do with this budget surplus, with Gore arguing that it needed to be used to shore up entitlement programs such as Social Security in a “lockbox” and Bush arguing that it needed to be given back to the American people in the form of a tax cut. After the first presidential debate between the two men in the fall of 2000, Saturday Night Live had a hilarious mock debate over this issue.
After Bush won the election, he was able to get Congress to approve his tax cut package and celebrated the occasion as a victory for small government. However, thanks to September 11th and a U.S. recession that began after Bush was elected, the federal government started to see deficits early in the Bush administration. By the time Bush left office, he and Congress, which was controlled for six years of his administration by Republicans, left the country with nearly a $500 billion deficit. To put this into perspective, that number represents nearly three percent of America’s gross domestic product (GDP), the total value of goods and services produced within the U.S. in a given year.
Therefore, this topic brief will describe the state of the budget deficit under the Obama administration, how Congress and the Obama administration are trying to cope with it, and the political fallout on the budget deficit issue.
Obama and the Deficit
By the latest estimates, the federal government’s deficit has ballooned under the Obama administration to $1.8 trillion. Deficits of this size were unthinkable before, but as last week’s edition of The Economist pointed out, the current size of the deficit is related to three factors. First, tax revenue for the federal government has fallen as the economy has contracted over the last year. With the economy shrinking, businesses have shut down and wealthy taxpayers do not have as much income to tax and middle class Americans, some of whom have been laid off from work or have had to accept pay cuts, have shrinking incomes to tax as well. A second factor is the interest of the national debt that the federal government must pay to creditors. Those who were not a fan of the stimulus package argued that much of it was financed by the Chinese government, which holds over $500 billion of U.S. national debt. A final factor is the way that Obama and his predecessor have handled the economic crisis. The infamous Troubled Asset Recovery Program (TARP), meant to help financial institutions, cost the federal government $700 billion. Obama’s stimulus package, the so-called Recovery and Reinvestment Act cost the government another $787 billion. And keep in mind that the size of the current healthcare legislation is said to be $1 trillion.
There is one message from economists concerning the U.S. and its massive deficits: get used to them. Based on the three factors outlined above, the current pace of U.S. government spending will only decrease the deficit from $1.8 trillion to $1.2 trillion by 2019, which is considered a big year because that is when entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security will begin to dig a bigger hole in the deficit and make it grow even larger.
If you are looking at how much GDP is being swallowed by the deficit, the current amounts are over five percent. The current Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke prefers to have the deficit at three percent of GDP, arguing that anything higher is simply unsustainable for the government to have and that higher debt burdens will eventually reduce investor confidence in the American economy.
Obama has tried to take the stance that he is committed to bringing these deficits down when an economic recovery takes place, which his economic team argues will start next year. However, to many Americans Obama is not moving quick enough to solve this deficit problem and his willingness to spend federal money on legislation that they perceive have had little effect on the economy is not helping him politically, especially in states that are hard hit by the economic recession.
Combating the Deficit
Sensing that there is political danger in playing with the deficit, especially since they promised to bring more fiscal accountability to Washington when they won the 2006 midterm elections, Democrats in the House of Representatives passed legislation last month that would reinstate “pay as you go” rules to federal spending. The “pay as you go” principle, also called “pay go” for short, is that if the federal government tries to spend federal revenue that is non-existent in the form of new programs or tax cuts that there are automatic spending cuts in other parts of the budget or taxes are raised to pay for them. However, before anyone out there gets any wild ideas about the cuts that take place, consider that programs such as Medicaid, food stamps, Social Security payments, and many parts of the Medicare program are exempt from automatic cuts since those programs are seen as helping the most vulnerable of Americans, notably the poor and the elderly.
While this idea makes sense because it could potentially lead to more fiscal responsibility from legislators, there are problems with “pay as you go” rules in their current form. First, the “pay as you go” rules can be waived aside by Congressional leaders if they really want to push for tax cuts or a new federal program which weakens their effectiveness. Second, the current rules make it possible for Republicans and other political forces to reinstitute the Bush tax cuts without having to adhere to the “pay as you go” rules. Finally and maybe most important, under the July legislation, appropriation bills, which often have lots of “pork” and unnecessary spending, are not subject to the “pay as you go” rules.
It is hardly any wonder that after this legislation was passed, Congressional Republicans argued that it was an attempt by the Democratic leadership to make it appear to the American people that their party was getting tough on the budget deficit when it had no intention to do so. For “Blue Dog” Democrats, those Democrats elected from conservative districts and who have committed themselves to fiscally conservative principles, the legislation was a symbolic attempt to shore up their fiscal credibility in the eyes of their constituents, which for some is painfully needed in light of healthcare reform and the cap and trade legislation.
Another way of deficit reduction is coming in the form of taxation. On August 2nd, on an edition of This Week on ABC, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner refused to say that tax increases were not coming in the future. While this might not be news if it only dealt with tax increases on the wealthiest Americans, that does not appear to be the case on closer inspection. Extempers should keep in mind that the latest healthcare legislation does impose a tax on wealthy Americans to make up part of the program, so giving rich Americans a “double whammy” in the form of taxes may not be a great idea, because there is only so much that you can soak the rich, especially to make up for a budget shortfall. Therefore, any tax increases may have to come on those Americans that are part of the middle class, which Obama defined during the 2008 campaign as those making less than $250,000 a year. Geithner clarified that these tax increases may only happen when the economy starts to witness a recovery, but any tax increases like these do put Obama in a tricky political position, as he promised no tax increases at all on this group and is probably astute enough to know that Bush 41 lost his re-election campaign to Bill Clinton because he violated his “no new tax pledge” from 1988. Ironically, Bush’s decision to back off of that pledge was because of America’s budget deficits.
Political Fallout
While Americans are not always given credit for their economic prowess, a significant part of the American electorate is beginning to take notice of the deficit issue. According to a recent Wall Street Journal/NBC poll, nearly a quarter of Americans believe that the budget deficit is the most important issue facing the country. On top of that, nearly forty percent of Americans do not believe that Obama is taking the problem of the deficit seriously, pointing to his programs that he is appearing to want to rush through on healthcare and climate change.
To put this in an even bigger perspective, Obama’s popularity ratings have come down to “normal” levels, as voters are not seeing any relief of their economic problems. Part of this is because of the Obama team’s decision to sell the stimulus package so as to prevent unemployment from nearing ten percent. However, economists now expect unemployment to hit that mark by the end of the year and it does not help that unemployment is what economists consider to be a lagging indicator, one that does not necessarily reflect the conditions for the economy.
Although it is unlikely that the Republicans will be able to win nearly forty House seats to wrest control of the body, as a party has only won those numbers on two occasions, 1946 and 1994, the deficit does allow them to repair some of their fiscal credentials that were shattered under Bush. As the party completely out of power, the Republicans cannot be blamed for much of the current economic mess, whether the Democratic Party likes that or not. Since they control all of Capitol Hill, all policies bear the Democrats insignia and for some “Blue Dog” members, they are facing immense criticism in their districts over government spending and Obama’s social policies. RNC Chairman Michael Steele has made the deficit a major part of the Republican platform and young Republican Congressman such as Paul Ryan of Wisconsin are trying to center the party on fiscally conservative principles.
The deficit is also helping Republicans in their fight against healthcare reform. Although the Obama administration has tried to sell the reforms as deficit neutral, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated that the healthcare legislation will add $239 billion to the federal deficit over by 2019 and increase significantly in costs after that point. Faced with these prospects and voter discontent over mortgaging America’s future with deficit spending, the conservative Congressman the Democrats have to rely on to pass healthcare reform may not go along and a failure to pass healthcare reform when the party has a majority on Capitol Hill would be embarrassing. It may not be Obama’s “Waterloo” if he fails to pass healthcare reform, but it would not endear him to the Democratic base. The healthcare debate can also recast the Republicans as the party of smaller government and limited intervention, although they still have to reconcile this with their willingness to use big government as an instrument to appease their social conservative allies on topics such as abortion, gun rights, and gay marriage.
Economic problems in general could wreak havoc for the Democratic party in 2009 and 2010. The 2009 gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey will likely be viewed as early referendums on the Obama administration, and although the Virginia governor’s race is neck and neck, it appears that New Jersey’s Democratic Governor John Corzine is in trouble and could lose. Couple this with rising unemployment in Michigan (nearing 20%) and Ohio and you have recipe for disaster as far as Democrats are concerned in some battleground states. Despite this, the Democrats can probably weather some losses in 2010 as far as the House goes because they are primed to win four to five Senate seats based on the latest projections. Nevertheless, if the economic situation continues to deteriorate and American’s continue to feel anxiety about the state of the economy, their jobs, and the budget deficit it may help the chances of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney to win the Republican primary and successfully challenge and defeat Obama in 2012 for the presidency.
SpeechGeek Scripts Season Seven: Fall 2009
Quality forensics performance material is often difficult to find. SpeechGeek provides high school coaches and competitors with scripts that are not only challenging, but also of strong literary merit. Each issue of SpeechGeek contains five scripts in a variety of events: prose interpretation, poetry interpretation, humorous interpretation, dramatic interpretation, and duo interpretation. SpeechGeek’s interp scripts are written by winning authors who know what it takes to make final rounds at all levels of competition.
Enter our online store to purchase this issue.
My Brother and I by Leanna Schwarch
Dramatic Interpretation
Twins share more than just parents. There is a deeper, special connection that binds them together. Schwarch’s play follows the story of a brother and sister who, even in times of sickness and loss, maintain a special connection.
Skyrockets by J. D. Taylor
Dramatic Interpretation
In a world where all of your classmates parents are rocket scientists, it can be hard when your dad just plays one on TV. Taylor’s story follows the story of a young man who, upon losing his father in an accident, does everything in his power to fulfill a special last request.
Star Child by Natalie Pronk
Dramatic Interpretation
“Stars shine and give off light and it takes all that time to get to us,” so notes Andi, the autistic protagonist of Pronk’s short play. Starlight—even over thousands of years—does not change. In the same way, Andi shares that even if they did, no one can tell by looking at them. You can’t tell by looking at her, but she’s changed. On the inside.
The Maids of Bovery Inn by Rodrigo Garcia
Duo Interpretation (Female/Female)
Few envy the life of a maid. They clean up other people’s messes other people make while trying to keep everything tidy in their own world. In Garcia’s short play, two immigrant maids share their frustrations of living behind the scenes, the messes they can’t sweep away, and what it is like being a outside trying to make a better life.
Confessions of a Preteen Sidekick by Deanna Markstrom
Humorous Interpretation
Elastic Lad has it all. He has super stretchy super powers that have earned him the job of Super Awesome Guy’s sidekick. The only problem is that life as a tween tends to get in the way of superheroics. His mom asks questions. His dad needs him on time for dinner. Don’t even get him started on homework. This delightful short play explores the reasons superheroes maintain a secret identity. It’s not why you think.
SpeechGeek Scripts Season Six: Nationals 2009
Quality forensics performance material is often difficult to find. SpeechGeek provides high school coaches and competitors with scripts that are not only challenging, but also of strong literary merit. Each issue of SpeechGeek contains five scripts in a variety of events: prose interpretation, poetry interpretation, humorous interpretation, dramatic interpretation, and duo interpretation. SpeechGeek’s interp scripts are written by winning authors who know what it takes to make final rounds at all levels of competition.
Enter our online store to purchase this issue.
Second Opinion by Steven Guthrie
Prose Interpretation
Most people find doctor’s offices to be the most uncomfortable place on Earth. Conversely, Mr. Ellison is quite at home among the sterile white walls and outdated copies of Redbook magazine. Guthrie’s short prose looks at why folks visit the doctor and why they keep coming back, even if there’s nothing wrong.
My Week as the Other by Isabelle Owens
Prose Interpretation
Owens’ experimental work of fiction takes the form of a parent’s angry letter to her son’s high school principal. In the letter, she expresses her frustration over a classroom experiment in which her son must attempt to learn “what it is like to be a woman.” As she writes, “I just happen to believe that some things in this world are challenging enough without having a grade assigned to them.”
The Prodigy by Richard Shelton
Prose Interpretation
The protagonist of Shelton’s short story is the one of the most famous people on the internet. With a bone disorder limiting his abilities to act like a normal kid, he begins to play the cello. His stellar ability to craft and share music has drawn attention from far and wide. When the music stops, he must find a new rhythm to guide his life.
Poetry Interpretation Program Builder: Male Pregnancy by Jonathon Harper
This pair of poems from new author Jonathon Harper explores pregnancy from the perspective of the male. The choices that men can and cannot make in the process come to life through word and wit.
Poetry Interpretation Program Builder: Redefining Romance by Sarah Carpenter
For years, men held the cards when it came to expressing and pursuing love. Now it’s time for the ladies to rightfully reclaim the relationship reigns.
Elements of Style for the Modern Extemper was written by Logan Scisco in the summer of 2005 and offers advice for beginning and advanced extempers to improve their extemporaneous speaking and analytical skills. Logan uses this book to teach extemp at WKU’s summer forensics program in Bowling Green, Kentucky.This is the second and revised edition of the initial version of the book and it is 107 pages. Purchases of the book through SpeechGeek are for digital PDF copies ONLY. The book is federally copyrighted.
Elements of Style for the Modern Extemper discusses the following topics:
Chapter 1: Instant Tips for Success Chapter 2: Introductions Chapter 3: Point Strategy Chapter 4: Conclusions Chapter 5: Delivery Chapter 6: Answering Different Types of Questions Chapter 7: Using Sources Chapter 8: Filing Strategy Chapter 9: Cross-Examination (CX) Strategy Chapter 10: Tournament Strategy Chapter 11: Using Preparation Time Wisely Chapter 12: Off-Season Strategy Chapter 13: Extemporaneous Speaking Drills Chapter 14: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
TESTIMONIALS:
“I can’t think of a better way for a competitive extemper to spend $25 than by buying this book! I found it to be wonderfully helpful. Not only did it provide a thorough review of the basics, but it also exposed me to different techniques that I had never learned. Without a doubt, it expanded my abilities. Moreover, Logan’s style of extemp has a universal appeal that will help you no matter what circuit you are coming from. In short, buy this book, and you will not be disappointed!” –Ian Panchevre (2008 NFL IX Semi-Finalist, St. Marks & Glenbrooks Extemp Champion, and MBA invitee)
“Elements of Style for the Modern Extemper was an invaluable part of my practice for extemp. Elements of Style outlines the basics better than any manual or piece of literature out there. I read the book for the first time during my junior year of high school, and I learned a tremendous amount about the substructure and the intrinsic worth of the speech itself. This book is a must read for anyone, from a beginner to a seasoned extemper. I couldn’t imagine prepping without it.” –Omar Qureshi (2008 NFL IX Runner-Up)
“I was first introduced to this book in 2005 when I attended the WKU Summer Forensic Institute. In fact, I was the guinea pig for the teachings found in the book, and I was one of the first practioners of the extemp strategies Logan discusses. Speaking as a competitor with innumerable rounds of experience at the nation’s most prestigious tournaments and a background that includes teachings from some of the world’s most revered coaches, I readily admit that Elements of Style for the Modern Extemper is an invaluable reference tool. The book’s lessons, if followed accordingly, can either serve as the foundation for an up-and-comer or as a refresher for an already proven champion who has ‘lost his swing.’ Elements of Style for the Modern Extemper is a must-have for extempers everywhere, and I enthusiastically endorse it.” -Hunter Kendrick (2008 NFL IX 4th place, CFL National finalist, 2-time Barkley Forum extemp finalist, and 3rd place MBA)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Logan Scisco competed for Danville High School in Danville, Kentucky and was coached by Mr. Steve Meadows. He was a four-time qualifier to National Forensic League (NFL) Nationals in United States extemporaneous speaking and a four-time qualifier to Catholic Forensic League (CFL) Nationals in extemporaneous speaking. He was the 2003 NFL Final Round National Champion in United States Extemporaneous Speaking, placing third overall and placed fourth at CFL Nationals that same year. He was also a two-time Kentucky State Champion in extemporaneous speaking, was a two-time invitee to the Montgomery Bell Extemp Round Robin (placing sixth in 2004), a Barkley Forum finalist in 2004, broke at nationals six consecutive times (one CFL & NFL final, one NFL USX semi-final, two CFL quarter-finals, and one NFL USX octofinal), was an NFL Academic All-American, and attained the level of Premier Distinction in the NFL.
During his two year college career competing for Western Kentucky University, he was a two-time NFA extemp finalist, placing third in 2005 and 2006. He graduated from WKU in 2008 with a degree in history and social studies with secondary teacher certification.
From 2006-2008, Logan was an associate coach for Danville High School’s forensic program. Starting for the 2008-2009 season, Logan will be the assistant coach for Grant County High School’s forensic program in Dry Ridge, Kentucky.
In the summer, Logan has run the extemp lab at WKU’s Summer Forensic Institute in 2005, 2006, and 2008. One of the students he instructed, David Kumbroch, who would go on to win the 2007 NFL International Extemp National Championship.
To date Logan has coached eleven state finalists (8 in extemp), thirteen national qualifiers (6 CFL and 7 NFL; 10 qualifiers in extemp), a Montgomery Bell Extemp Round Robin finalist, a Barkley Forum extemp finalist, three state champions (two in extemp), five CFL extemp outround participants, four NFL outround participants (including a USX semi-finalist), and a CFL and NFL (IX) finalist in extemporaneous speaking.
Logan also sponsors a $150 scholarship given to the Kentucky State Extemporaneous Speaking Champion every year since 2005.
