MHS freshmen lead the way at national tourneys
McPherson Sentinel (6-22-2004)

A pair of McPherson High School freshmen led the way in national forensic speech championship tournaments held in Boston and Salt Lake City over the last three weeks.

Robb Krehbiel and partner Kirstyn Smith, the only MHS freshman duo ever to qualify for the National Forensics League tournament, placed in the top third of all competitors at the NFL gathering in Salt Lake City.

Competing in duo interpretation, an exceptionally difficult acting event in which characters pretend to physically interact, but are not allowed to make eye contact or touch, Krehbiel and Smith earned high marks against predominately junior and senior opponents. The pair performed a short play by Ken Bradbury titled "Knight Dreams" about a young Walter Mitty-like character who imagines himself to be several heroic characters.

Also competing in Salt Lake were senior debaters Charlie Vetter and Ivan Cabezas. The pair was selected as alternate members for the U.S. national team that went on to face competitors from nine foreign countries, including Russia, China, Uzbekistan, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Argentina. Debaters considered the proposition, "Resolved, that young adults of all nations should be required to serve at least one year of national service."

Vetter was a hit at the tournament, when on the last day he performed a Scottish folktale in full Scottish kilt and attire. His photo is expected to appear in the official magazine of the organization, "The Rostrum."

During their off-hours, the group toured the Great Salt Lake, the Mormon Tabernacle and other Salt Lake tourist attractions. They also had the honor of hearing an address by The Church of Latter Day Saints president Gordon Hinkley, who expounded the virtues of honing their communication skills.

Earlier, at the National Catholic Forensic League tournament in Boston, Smith and Krehbiel were medalists, placing 25th among predominately prep and private school competition. They were joined at the tournament by senior Rebecca Deeds, as well as sophomores Torrey Parkins and Madeline Grennan. Deeds and Parkins participated in duo interpretation, while Grennan competed in oral interpretation of literature.

While in Boston, the group toured historic sites, walked the Paul Revere trail, visited the graves of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Louisa May Alcott at the Authors Ridge of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, and waded in Walden Pond.

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