Forberg Gives Richards Third IHSA Speech Championship in Five Years

Richards High school senior Peter Forberg won the IHSA state speech championship this weekend in the category of Extemperaneous Speaking. Forberg, among the most decorated competitors in the long and rich history of speech at Richards, also took third in Original Oratory.

With senior Grace Cook taking fifth place in Radio Speaking, the Bulldogs placed 8th as a team overall. It's the third time in four years that the speech team from Richards has placed in the Top 10 at the state finals.

Forberg joined graduates Mike McCarthy (2014) and John Zahlmann (2012) as state speech champion. Both McCarthy and Zimmerman won in Humorous Interpretation.

After an outstanding regular season, the Richards speech team produced a tremendous run through the Illinois High School Association state series. Achievements included:

Regional

Champions - Peter Forberg, Extemporaneous Speaking; Abby Hanrahan, Impromptu Speaking; Katharine Azem, Humorous Interpretation;

Second place - Devin Jackson, Dramatic Interpretation; Grace Cook, Radio Speaking; Performance in the Round; Peter Forberg, Original Oratory.

Third place - Katharine Azem & Brian Carpenter, Humorous Duet Acting; Brian Carpenter, Prose Reading

Fourth place - Sami Alqadi, Special Occasion Speaking; Devin Jackson, Oratorical Declamation; Megan Kozik, Original Comedy.

Sectional

Champion - Peter Forberg, Extemporaneous Speaking; Peter Forberg, Original Oratory

Third place - Abby Hanrahan, Impromptu Speaking; Grace Cook, Radio Speaking.