Talkin’ T-Birds haul home medals from final tournament
The 2023-2024 Casper College Forensics team poses with the awards won both by the team and individually during the 2024 Phi Rho National Tournament. Pictured l-r, back row Nina Bivens, Ella Cassity, Tyler Cooper, Kambrie White, Dani Schultz, Pearl Taylor, and Eva Stone. Front row, l-r, Jack Cochran, Cass Baedke, Sienna Gomez, Josie House, and Davin Ro. (Casper College Photo)
The Casper College Talkin’ T-Birds returned from the Phi Rho National Tournament with three gold medals, two silver, and 10 bronze.
Dani Schulz, a freshman studying secondary education at Casper College, came home with two gold medals, one in poetry interpretation and the other in dramatic interpretation. Schulz is a 2023 Cheyenne East High School graduate and the daughter of Douglas Schulz and Ashley Landen Schulz of Cheyenne.
Pearl Taylor took the gold in prose interpretation and a bronze in International Public Debate. Taylor, a sophomore from Box Elder, South Dakota, is pursuing a degree in respiratory therapy. She is the daughter of Talisha Davis of Box Elder. Nina Bivens, also a sophomore from Box Elder, won a silver in the International Public Debate. Bivens is majoring in public relations. Both are graduates of Douglas High School in Box Elder.
Three more Cheyenne East High School graduates took home medals, including Kambrie White, with a bronze in both duo interpretation and speech to entertain. The sophomore is the daughter of Deborah and Allen White and is majoring in social work. Majoring in political science, sophomore Sienna Gomez received a bronze in communication analysis. Gomez is the daughter of Javier Gomez and Danita Martinez. Freshman Davin Ro took home three bronze medals in duo interpretation, speech to entertain, and poetry interpretation. Ro is the son of Yun Ro and Sami Ro. Ro is a computer science major.
Sophomore Tyler Cooper and freshman Jack Cochran, both graduates of Natrona County High School, had success at the tournament. Cooper took silver in dramatic interpretation and bronze in extemporaneous speaking, and Cochran took bronze in informative speaking. Cooper is the son of Tony and Sandra Cooper and is majoring in political science. Cochran’s parent is Audra Cochran, and they are pursuing a degree in psychology.
“The team received bronze across the board,” said Doug Hall, communication instructor and head forensics coach. “Bronze medals were received in individual events, debate, and overall points — combined IE and debate — in the Wyman Division for large schools. As a team, the competitors broke 15 entries to elimination rounds,” Hall added.