Five members of Mount St. Mary Academy’s Forensics Team were named finalists at the 2022 Arkansas Forensics and Debate State Championship held April 1-2 at Bentonville West High School. Alex Powell ’22 won 1st place in humorous interpretation, making her this year’s state champion in the event. Other top finishers included Rachel Klinck ’22, 2nd place in prose; Anna Mammarelli ’23, 3rd place in prose; and Lizzy Darnold ’24 and Kimberley Sorsby ’24, 5th place in duo interpretation. Additionally, Malingo Matute ’22 was named a semifinalist in prose.
This is the first time in recent school history that Mount St. Mary Academy has had a finalist higher than 4th place at the state competition as well as the first time the school has ever had a state champion in an event.
A total of 10 of the Forensics Team’s 13 members were eligible to compete based on their performance at qualifying events earlier in the year. Other students participating in this year’s state championship include: Sophia Brannon ’22, poetry; Mary Mayo ’23, poetry; Annabelle Owen ’25, prose; and Emma Palmer ’22, prose. The team is coached by Jenny Moses, MSM theatre and forensics instructor and Arts Department chair.
Organized by the Arkansas Communication and Theatre Arts Association, the state championship represents the culmination of the forensics and debate season where hundreds of competitors enter weekend tournaments to compete in the art of oral presentation. Described by some as “competitive acting,” forensics competitions, in particular, include events such as storytelling, poetry, informative speaking or humorous interpretation and improvisation.
We congratulate our Forensics Team on a very successful season!
Mount St. Mary Academy, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, develops young women with a moral and intellectual foundation rooted in Catholic tradition. Mercy-minded and college-prepared, our students meet the future with wisdom, compassion and integrity.