Caldwell Middle School Students Win Big at Forensics Tournament

14 Grover Cleveland Middle School students took home seven trophies, winning first place in a December varsity forensics competition designed to put public speaking skills to the test. The students beat out talented teams from around Essex County to win the awards.

The Essex County Forensic Tournament held on Dec. 16 at Caldwell University. The GCMS team brought seven trophies, including first place in the varsity competition and second place in the junior varsity competition.

Designed to get students interested in public speaking and to award those who show excellence in speech, the competition also enhances students’ public speaking knowledge and skill.

“After many months of preparing, and a large number of first-time performers joining the forensics competition, it was a great end result,” Teacher and coach Claudia Douris said. “All of the students read their pieces well, competing against very talented opponents from a variety of other school districts. They all did a great job.”

An Interpretive Reading tournament where students competed against other districts in Essex County, including Livingston, Bloomfield, Cedar Grove, West Orange, Nutley and Roseland, the tournament is run and judged by experienced “forensicators” who compete in both speech and debate at either a state or national level.

Representing the Caldwell-West Caldwell School District in the varsity competition were eighth graders Charlee Alberta, DeeAnna Meluso, Jessica Rizzo, Nicole Tanelli and Julia Tuck; and seventh graders Isabel Caravela, Chloe Cordasco, Sam Mulick and Connor Padover. At the junior varsity level were sixth graders Isabella Alberta, Catherine Backfisch, Isabella Camerino, Sarah Nichols, and Anna Torok. Individual trophy winners included Charlee Alberta, Chloe Cordasco, Sara Nichols, Jessica Rizzo and Nicole Tanelli.

Pictured: Members of the GCMS forensics team, from left to right: eighth graders DeeAnna Meluso, Julia Tuck, Nicole Tanelli and Jessica Rizzo, seventh graders Sam Mulick, Chloe Cordasco and Connor Padover, eighth grader Charlee Alberta, and sixth grader Isabella Alberta; and in front (left to right) sixth graders Sarah Nichols , Anna Torok, Catherine Backfish, and Isabella Camerino, and seventh grader Isabel Caravela.

Photo courtesy of Christine Corliss