Last Semester the Speech Team of Yuba College brought home 18 awards at a UC Berkeley speech invitational. Suzanne Ruckle the faculty advisor answers my questions about her experience, the value of Speech Team, and their upcoming show this Saturday April 21, 2017. Included throughout are photos of last semester’s final show on campus.
Jodi Hernandez- How long have you been the adviser for Speech Team?
Suzanne Ruckle- I have been advising the Speech Team since 1995 when I was hired at Yuba College as the Director of Forensics and Speech Communication Professor. Intercollegiate Forensics is the name given to the practice of competitive Speech and Debate at Colleges and Universities. Yuba College is a Member of the Northern California Forensics Association and the Phi Rho Pi National Forensics Association. We compete regionally each semester with colleges and Universities from Fresno to Southern Oregon.
Our speech team competes in public speaking events such as impromptu, informative, persuasive, and speaking to entertain. We also compete in the performance of literature which includes prose, poetry, drama, and mixed genre oral interpretations of literature.
JH- What kind of benefit do you think Speech team has for students who want
to get involved?
SR-The Speech Team gives students valuable tools for improving both their public speaking skills and learning how to perform literature in front of an audience. Employers have consistently rated the “Soft Skills” of Public and face-to-face communication as the Number-One skill needed in the workforce today. The Speech Team teaches students confidence and skills in these areas. Our Speech Team students often choose to earn degrees in Communication Studies, and also have gone go on to study and earn degrees in law, business, media, public relations, politics, and teaching. I would encourage students in any area of study at Yuba College to join the Speech Team or Speech Club to enhance their public communication skills.
JH- Tell me what we will see at the Yuba Sutter Arts show this Saturday April 21 from 2-3:45 and for your school show in our campus theater in May.
SR- In celebration of April’s National Poetry Month, the Speech Team will be presenting oral interpretations of poetry and spoken word at the Yuba Sutter Arts Council in Marysville this Saturday April 21 from 2-3:45. (See poster for details). Students will perform various poetry “programs” surrounding universal themes of love, nature, culture, family, and diversity.
The Speech Team will be performing Oral Interpretations of Literature on Thursday May 10 at 7 p.m in our school Theater at Yuba College. We will be performing a variety of short stories, poetry programs and drama which reflect social issues and humorous themes. All ticket sales will go towards funding future speech competitions as well.
Below Ada Schmidt Speech Club President 2017-2018 and Recipient of the 2017 UC Berkeley’s Sather Classic, Top Interpreter Award. Had this to say about the Speech Club’s upcoming performance and what Speech Team and preparation involves.
Ada Schmidt-The Speech Team and I hope that the campus community will come out to see the lively and entertaining performances of literature scheduled for April and May. You can relax and celebrate literature coming alive while also supporting a good cause as this fund raiser helps support future intercollegiate speech and drama competitions. We hope to see you and a friend there! J
JH- How long have you been on the Speech Team?
AS- I’ve been president for two semesters. Students are able to participate in the class for college credit for four semesters. This is my fourth and final semester to be on the Speech Team. (Deep sigh, with nostalgic look in eyes) But any Yuba College student can participate in the Speech Club.
JH- What kind of benefit do you think Speech team has for students who want to get involved?
AS- We are a team, and we compete against other colleges. Members get to fine-tune the skills they have learned from the other Speech courses. Taking a Speech class gives you “the basics” while being on the Speech Team allows students polish their skills. You don’t have to be the most accomplished public speaker to join, but with Ms. Ruckle’s coaching, members have become award winning. (Who wouldn’t want to add that to a resume or college application?!)
JH- Tell me what we will see at the Yuba Sutter Arts show this Saturday April 21 from 2-3:45 and for your school show in our campus theater in May.
AS- Saturday’s family friendly poetry show will have a little spoken word, poems from contemporary authors about current hot topics, and even an ode to food. Regrettably, I’m not performing a Dr. Seuss piece this semester.
At the school show in May, it’s kind of a “gloves are off” event for the team. At that point we have finished any competitive events for the semester, which means we can choose the pieces we are most passionate about to present to the public.
JH- Tell me about the preparation the performers put into performance as far as practice etc.
AS- The bulk is in the research phase where there is reading, listening to podcasts, more reading, and so much slam poetry. Then as a group we consider if the piece is one which the judges at competitions would be interested in: socially relevant topic, current, not “overdone”. It’s a process.
JH- Anything else to add?
AS- I hope more students will be motivated to join the Speech Team. We all have something important to say, and this is a great platform available to us as students. When else in life are you given an empty stage for ten minutes to say something meaningful?
I hold both an AS in Social and Behavioral Sciences and an AA in English from Yuba College. I have been on the editorial board of Flumes, literary arts journal, and contribute to the publication of The Western Farm Worker. No one knows what the future holds!
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