For the past five summers I have taught a Speech & Rhetoric Camp at The Bear Creek School. The following is a description of the camp objectives:
The ability to speak effectively is a core life skill, useful not just for lawyers and teachers, but for businesspeople, scientists, and engineers as well. This course will teach students how to be successful public speakers. It will show them how to develop and present speeches that explain and persuade, and how to do so in a way that is interesting and even entertaining. The class also introduces students to the variety of speech events in which students compete for the Bear Creek Forensics Team (BCFT). For members of the BCFT, they will prepare for the competitive season.
I began teaching this camp as a way to “pay it forward” for the impact Speech & Debate had on my life. Click on this link (p 40-41) to hear my thoughts on giving back to the Forensics Program at my high school and click on this link to hear me speak about the impact of Speech & Debate on my high school experience. Or, read below for a quick camp bio:
Katie Gomulkiewicz is a former captain of the Bear Creek Forensics Team (BCFT) and 2012-13 Washington State Champion in Impromptu speaking. During her three years on the BCFT, she qualified for nationals in Duo Interpretation and for state in Duo Interpretation, Dramatic Interpretation, Impromptu, Oratory, and Student Congress. Katie recently graduated from Davidson College where she wrote and performed spoken word poetry. She currently serves as an Assistant Coach for the Bear Creek Forensics Team.
