Pennsylvania High School Speech League

The Pennsylvania High School Speech League is a high school forensics

Public speaking

Public speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners...

league. The PHSSL state championship takes place yearly in March at Susquehanna University

Susquehanna University

Susquehanna University is a liberal arts college in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, United States, north of the state capital, Harrisburg.-Academics:...

. Each qualifying event contains 2 qualifiers from each district throughout Pennsylvania, and the non-qualifying events have one student from each participating school.

History of PHSSL

PHSSL was founded in 1961 to promote speaking throughout the entire state of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

. The actual championship has been at Susquehanna University

Susquehanna University

Susquehanna University is a liberal arts college in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, United States, north of the state capital, Harrisburg.-Academics:...

since 1992. Susquehanna University

Susquehanna University

Susquehanna University is a liberal arts college in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, United States, north of the state capital, Harrisburg.-Academics:...

is located in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania

Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania

Selinsgrove is a borough in Snyder County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded in 1787 by Captain Anthony Selin, who fought with Washington in the Revolutionary War....

and provides a safe area for competitors to spend time. The championship has always been considered the "state championship" in Pennsylvania by allowing all schools to compete regardless of state affiliation.

Publications

The Pennsylvania High School Speech League publishes its own newsletter which is titled "The Communicator". PHSSL uses "The Communicator" to put forth information regarding leadership in the organization, plans, and records of student performance in the state championship.

Leaders

The Pennsylvania High School Speech League chooses the officers in the organization based on their merit and dedication to promoting forensics. The election of officers is a democratic process. As of October 2010, the current leaders include:

Executive Director
- Larry Augustine - Susquehanna University
  Susquehanna University
  Susquehanna University is a liberal arts college in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, United States, north of the state capital, Harrisburg.-Academics:...
Secretary
- Carolyn Trotta- Susquehanna University
  Susquehanna University
  Susquehanna University is a liberal arts college in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, United States, north of the state capital, Harrisburg.-Academics:...
Board Members
- John Buettler- Holy Ghost Preparatory School
  Holy Ghost Preparatory School
  Holy Ghost Preparatory School is a private, college preparatory school for young men in Cornwells Heights, Bensalem, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1897 by the Spiritan missionaries, it is also a Catholic school....
- Keith Brosious - Elk Lake High School
  Elk Lake School District
  Elk Lake School District is a small, rural, K-12 public school district located on State Route 3019 in Dimock, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. It covers the borough of Hop Bottom along with residents in: Auburn Township, Middletown Township, Rush Township, Dimock Township, and Springville...
- Stacey Givens Cawley - Baldwin High School
- Barb Giuliano- St. Joseph Preparatory School
- Lisa Bompiani-Smith - Greater Latrobe High School
- David R. Long - Southern Lehigh High School
  Southern Lehigh High School
  Southern Lehigh High School is a four-year public high school located in Center Valley, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is the only high school in the Southern Lehigh School District....
- Reed H. Messmore - Selinsgrove Area High School
  Selinsgrove Area High School
  Selinsgrove Area High School is a public school located in Selinsgrove, Snyder County, Pennsylvania. It is a part of the Selinsgrove Area School District. The school's enrollment has declined to less than 850 students in grades nine through twelve. Further decline in enrollment is anticipated...
- Bill Murray - Mechanicsburg Area High School
- W. Michael Nailor - Danville High School
  Danville High School (Pennsylvania)
  Danville High School is located in Danville, Pennsylvania off of route I-80. The school is in the top 20 high schools in Pennsylvania and 1090th in the U.S.. The principal of the school is Craig Burger and the assistant principal is Charles Smargiassi. The high school can be reached at 275-3268...
- Kathleen O’Halloran - Norwin High School
  Norwin High School
  Norwin High School is located in North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, with a current enrollment of 1690 students in grades 9-12. It enrolls students from North Huntingdon Township, Irwin, and North Irwin. It is part of the Norwin School District. In 1914, the Township of North Huntingdon, and the...
- Hugh P. Ringer - Mercer Area High School
  Mercer Area High School
  Mercer Area High School is a high school located in Mercer, Pennsylvania, United States. The school's colors are Royal blue and white. The school mascot is the Mercer Mustang .-Football:...
- Alice Ursin - Bethel Park High School
  Bethel Park High School
  Bethel Park High School, also called BPHS, is a four-year, comprehensive high school located in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, with an enrollment of 1,937 students in grades 9–12. Set up much like a college campus, it consists of eight buildings on an campus. Its curriculum includes ten Advanced...
- Beth Young - North Catholic High School
  North Catholic High School
  North Catholic High School is a private Catholic high school located on Troy Hill on the Northside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school's mascot is the Trojan and its official colors are scarlet and gold....
- Dr. Neil Strine - Bloomsburg University
District Chairs
- District 1 - Hugh P. Ringer Mercer Area High School
  Mercer Area High School
  Mercer Area High School is a high school located in Mercer, Pennsylvania, United States. The school's colors are Royal blue and white. The school mascot is the Mercer Mustang .-Football:...
  
  & Bob Hall Fairview High School
  Fairview High School (Pennsylvania)
  Fairview High School is a public high school located in Fairview Township, Pennsylvania, and it is part of the Fairview School District.-Academics:-Notes and references:* Fairview School District. Retrieved on 2008-01-09.-External links:***...
- District 2 - Jeff Byko Pine Richland High School
- District 3 - Alice Ursin Bethel Park High School
  Bethel Park High School
  Bethel Park High School, also called BPHS, is a four-year, comprehensive high school located in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, with an enrollment of 1,937 students in grades 9–12. Set up much like a college campus, it consists of eight buildings on an campus. Its curriculum includes ten Advanced...
  
  & Stacy Givens Cawley Baldwin High School
- District 4 - Mary Ann Berty Trinity High School
  Trinity High School (Washington, Pennsylvania)
  Trinity High School is a public high school located on a hilltop overlooking the city of Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Its bell tower has been a landmark in Washington County for years....
- District 5 - Angie Sloan Westmont Hilltop High School
- District 6 - Christine Metcalfe Mechanicsburg High School
- District 7 - Nathan Lawver Delone Catholic High School
  Delone Catholic High School
  Delone Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in McSherrystown, Pennsylvania. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg.-The History:Delone Catholic High School is a regional high school named for Charles J...
- District 8 - Keith Brosious Elk Lake High School
  Elk Lake School District
  Elk Lake School District is a small, rural, K-12 public school district located on State Route 3019 in Dimock, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. It covers the borough of Hop Bottom along with residents in: Auburn Township, Middletown Township, Rush Township, Dimock Township, and Springville...
  
  & David Long Southern Lehigh High School
  Southern Lehigh High School
  Southern Lehigh High School is a four-year public high school located in Center Valley, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is the only high school in the Southern Lehigh School District....
- District 9 - Ellen Boyer Shikellamy High School
  Shikellamy High School
  Shikellamy High School is a public high school located in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, USA. it is part of the Shikellamy School District. It is the senior high school for the communities of Northumberland, Point Township, Rockefeller Township, Snydertown Borough, the City of Sunbury, and Upper Augusta...
- District 10 - Bonnie Perry Harriton High School
  Harriton High School
  Harriton High School is a public secondary school located in Rosemont, a community in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania.Harriton is one of two high schools in Lower Merion School District; the other is Lower Merion High School. It used to be a comparatively small high school, containing 889...
- District 11 - Ray Shay La Salle College High School
  La Salle College High School
  La Salle College High School founded in 1858 is an independent, Catholic, college preparatory school for boys located in Wyndmoor, a community in Springfield Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States, outside Philadelphia. The school is staffed by a lay faculty and the Christian...
- District 12 - Shawn Eliason Harry S. Truman High School
- District 14 - Holly Smith Penn Cambria High School

Hall of Fame

PHSSL has created a hall of fame for great participants, coaches, and supporters of forensics. The Pennsylvania High School Speech League's hall of fame came into existence in 1986, and has inducted at least one member ever since.

P.H.S.S.L. Events

PHSSL features many events, most of which are qualified for at district tournaments, but several are coach given bids.
A list of events from the PHSSL Website:

Drama

Drama

Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...

: Competition in drama is held at the regional and state levels. A school performs a one-act play or cutting of a longer work with more than two characters. Two schools advance from each region to the state finals. Competitions are held during the first semester.

Policy Debate

Policy debate

Policy debate is a form of speech competition in which teams of two advocate for and against a resolution that typically calls for policy change by the United States federal government or security discourse...

: A clash of two, two-person teams, one affirmative and one negative, on the annual national policy resolution. The affirmative presents a case for change in the present system. The negative supports the present system or a counter-proposal for change. This form of debate is dominated by Central Catholic High School, as led by the influential, Brother Kevin.

Public Forum Debate

Public forum debate

Public forum debate, also known as crossfire debate, PFD , is a style of debate practiced in National Forensic League, Texas Forensics Association, and National Catholic Forensic League competitions....

: A clash of two, two person teams, one pro and one con on a contemporary resolution. National topics change every month.

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

Lincoln-Douglas debate

Lincoln–Douglas debate is sometimes also called values debate because it traditionally places a heavy emphasis on logic, ethical values, and philosophy...

: A clash of two debaters, one affirmative and one negative, on a values topic. National topics change every two months.

Parliamentary Debate

Parliamentary Debate

Parliamentary Debate is an academic debate event. Many university level institutions in English speaking nations sponsor parliamentary debate teams, but the format is currently spreading to the high school level as well...

: A clash of two, three person teams, one for the resolution and one against the resolution. Rounds can be either on a prepared topic or an impromptu topic chosen 30 minutes before the start of the round. Topics are chosen by the Executive Board for the District and State Tournaments.

Oral Interpretation of Poetry: A contestant interprets with script in hand one or more poems. Time limit: 10 minutes.

Oral Interpretation of Prose: A contestant interprets with script in hand a cutting from a short story or novel. Time limit: 10 minutes.

Dramatic Interpretation

Dramatic Interpretation

Dramatic Interpretation is an event in National Forensic League high school forensics competitions...

: A contestant chooses a cutting from a serious play and memorizes it. The student recreates the scene using appropriate gestures and voices. Time limit: 10 minutes.

Humorous Interpretation

Humorous Interpretation

Humorous Interpretation is an event in competitive high school forensics leagues such as the National Christian Forensics and Communications Association and the National Forensic League...

: A contestant chooses a cutting from a humorous play and memorizes it. The student recreates the scene using appropriate gestures and voices. Time limit: 10 minutes.

Informative Speaking: Original speeches teach or explain a concept or idea. Time limit: 7 minutes.

Extemporaneous Speaking

Extemporaneous speaking

Extemporaneous Speaking, also known as extemp, is a competitive event popular in United States high schools and colleges, in which students speak persuasively or informatively about current events and politics...

: A contestant selects a topic about a current issue. Preparation time: 30 minutes. Time limit: 7 minutes.

Persuasive Speaking: Original speeches convince the audience. Time limit: 10 minutes.

Extemporaneous Commentary

Extemporaneous Commentary

Extemporaneous commentary is a branch of normal extemporaneous speaking, an area of competition in high school forensics. Students participating in extemporaneous commentary are given 25 minutes to prepare a five minute speech on a topic relevant to modern politics...

: A continuation of both extemporaneous and persuasive speaking. It can be both informative and advocative. Knowledge of events and some history is required. Contestants seated at a table or desk for the presentation. Preparation time: 30 minutes. Time limit: 7 minutes.

Duo Interpretation of Literature: “Literature” is defined as a single stage, screen, television, radio play, fictional or non-fictional work or poem. All selections must be published or commercially available in print, audio, or video form. Time limit: 10 minutes.

In addition, competition in the following events are held at the state level only:

Radio Announcing: A contestant presents a two-minute news broadcast. In subsequent rounds, prepared scripts are used.

Impromptu Speaking

Impromptu speaking

Impromptu speaking is a speech and debate consolation event that involves an eight minute speech, with up to three of these eight minutes available for use as preparation time ....

: In a limited amount of time a student prepares a brief speech on topics such as proverbs, aphorisms or quotations. Preparation time: 5 minutes. Time limit: 5 minutes.

Student Congress

Student Congress

Congressional Debate is a form of high school debate in the United States and Pakistan. The National Forensic League , National Catholic Forensic League , many national debate tournaments, State Forensic Associations, and the IEEE Pakistan Student Congress all offer Congressional Debate as an event...

: In this event students take on the roles of legislators. Using parliamentary procedure, students debate bills and resolutions on current issues.

Results

The 2010 state title went to Holy Ghost Prep, their 14th state title in 16 years.

2010 - Holy Ghost Prep
2009 - Holy Ghost Prep
2008 - Holy Ghost Prep
2007 - Holy Ghost Prep
2006 - Mt. Lebanon High School
2005 - Holy Ghost Prep
2004 - Holy Ghost Prep
2003 - Holy Ghost Prep
2002 - Holy Ghost Prep
2001 - Scranton High School
2000 - Holy Ghost Prep

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

History of PHSSL

Publications

Leaders

Hall of Fame

P.H.S.S.L. Events

Results

See also

External links