Las Positas College Speech Team Wins First Place Award

For the fourth consecutive year, the Las Positas College Speech Team, the Talk Hawks, soared above tournament competition to capture the First Place Team Sweepstakes Award for Community Colleges. The Talk Hawks also won Second Place overall in Individual Events and Debate, ahead of teams from two- and four-year colleges and universities including the University of California, Berkeley. Las Positas College student Salim Razawi finished as Top Speaker for the tournament which featured 18 teams and was held Oct. 7-9 at Santa Rosa Junior College.

"I’m incredibly proud of this group of students," said Las Positas College Director of Forensics Tim Heisler. "There were schools with much larger teams and entries at this competition, and yet our squad still managed to come out on top."

Heisler expressed appreciation to American Equipment Rental of Redwood City for its donation of the Talk Hawks’ tournament entry fee. "Because of the drastic cuts colleges have experienced, we will require generous contributions like this to enable our program to continue at this high level," he said. Organizations and individuals who would like to support the Talk Hawks are encouraged to contact the Las Positas College Foundation at (925) 424-1010.

The Talk Hawks have a proud history of state, national and international awards in forensics including debate, public speaking, oral interpretation of literature and Readers Theater. In 2009, the Talk Hawks brought home the Second Place Sweepstakes Award from the International Forensics Association’s Speech and Debate Tournament held in Montreal, Canada. It is their goal once again to attend this prestigious tournament scheduled in March 2012 in Rome, Italy.

"The Las Positas College team is so very strong because it always has had a community of educators, staff and administrators who embrace the activity and believe in its value," said Speech Instructor and Forensics Co-director Jim Dobson. "Along with hard-working, dedicated students and coaches, this support helps elevate the team to phenomenal heights of success."

Following are the Talk Hawks award winners from the Santa Rosa tournament:

Salim Razawi of Dublin, CA

• Top Speaker of the Tournament
• 1st Place - Prose Interpretation, Open Division
• 2nd Place - Duo Interpretation, Open Division
• 2nd Place - Communication Analysis, Open Division
• 3rd Place - Poetry Interpretation, Open Division

Shea Wigton of San Ramon, CA

• 1st Place - Prose Interpretation, Novice Division

Weston Toste of Livermore, CA

• 1st Place - Persuasive Speaking, Open Division

Sarah Kellner of Brentwood, CA

• 1st Place - Speech to Entertain, Novice Division
• 1st Place - Poetry Interpretation, Novice Division

Lex Newman of Pleasanton, CA

• 3rd Place - Poetry Interpretation, Novice Division

Adam Neylan of Tracy, CA

• 1st Place - Programmed Oral Interpretation, Open Division
• 2nd Place - Duo Interpretation, Open Division
• 3rd Place - Speech to Entertain, Open Division
• Finalist - Prose Interpretation, Open Division

Scott Ault of Pleasanton, CA

• Finalist - Informative Speaking, Novice Division

Alexandra Penn of San Ramon, CA

• 3rd Place - Communication Analysis, Open Division