The sound of voices fills the room as seniors gather in a circle. They loosen up with vocal warmups, stretch out their nerves, and finally sit and listen as a senior delivers the pep talk that always comes before competition day. What started as a simple tradition turned into something greater — this fall, Millard North’s forensics team received news that they placed third nationally for their 2024-25 season.
“Forensics is an umbrella term for competitive speech and debate,” head coach Sabrina Denney Bull said. “In our building, the forensics program has public speaking events and acting events that we compete with at tournaments.”
With over 3,000 schools competing in the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) rankings, finishing third nationally is no small feat. The NSDA determines rankings based on the number of students, the points they earn, and the “degrees” they collect through competitions. MN’s balance of size and determination helped set them apart.
“It’s not just that the speech and debate team here is big, but it’s also that we’re successful,” Denney Bull said. “We’ve always been ranked in the top ten, but finishing third is pretty special.”
For many students, that success didn’t come from a single tournament — it came from dedication and teamwork across the entire season. The team’s growing size of nearly 200 members has brought both challenges and advantages, with younger competitors stepping up earlier than ever before.
“I think one of the things that really helped last year is that we had younger students who really stepped up, competed a lot, and did really well,” Denney Bull said.
One of those students was sophomore Moyo Ogun, who joined the high school team as a freshman after competing in middle school. His event, Informative Speaking, focuses on building a well-researched, engaging presentation — something he takes seriously when preparing for tournaments.
“Before a competition, I work on my line-by-line delivery and make sure that each phrase I’m saying is well articulated,” Ogun said. “I spent two days making sure I could get through all parts of my speech before my actual competition.”
When he heard they placed third nationally, all he could do was just stand there and take in this unforgettable moment that reflected everyone’s effort, from freshmen to seniors.
“I was excited because seeing that all the work our team put into getting points throughout the season finally paid off,” Ogun said. “Because not only did it lead to having a bigger team culture at competitions, but we also got more advisors to help us throughout our competitions.”
That team culture and sense of connection have kept seniors like Sanna Kunnath involved for all four years. She has consistently competed in Humorous Interpretation and has qualified for both national competitions every year.
“I stay because we’ve made a really great welcoming community, and no matter what, we always celebrate wins and losses together,” Kunnath said. “Forensics has helped me to become a more confident person and helped me a lot with how to talk to people well.”
Kunnath said preparing for competitions has become a ritual over time, filled with playlists, pep talks from other seniors, and personal habits that help her stay grounded.
“I like to really focus on getting my words smooth and look for things I can add based on critiques from the last competitions,” Kunnath said. “But one thing I always do is listen to ‘Turn My Swag On’ before finals — it gets my energy up and makes me competition-ready.”
While trophies matter, Denney Bull believes the real success of forensics comes from the growth she sees in her students. Each competition gives them a chance to strengthen their communication skills and self-assurance.
“I love watching a kid come in their freshman year and seeing them grow over the course of four years in this program,” Denney Bull said. “That growth makes it worth it, whether they’re winning or not.”
Even with new faces and tougher competition, the team’s foundation hasn’t changed. They rely on a mix of trust, support, and drive, so they can finish off strong in every competition.