“Context is worth 80 IQ points.” So said eminent computer scientist Alan Kay, and in Fluvanna, there is a group of students who have easily earned those 80 IQ points, proving themselves “smarter than the average bear”– namely, the FCHS Speech Team.

The Speech team headed over to Clover Hill High School on March 28 to compete in the VHSL 4A State Forensics Tournament, where they placed third overall. But it was in the individual events where the Flucos really stood out.

Johnathan Corbin, Zach Dobrin, Savannah Forren, and Savannah Nelson all broke into the final rounds. Forren and Nelson placed third in Serious Duo Interpretation, while Corbin placed second in Extemporaneous Speaking. Dobrin had a particularly great day, becoming State Champion in Storytelling, only the second Fluco to do so in the past four years, the other being former Fluco Katie Wilson who earned the title in 2011. Ironically, both of them performed “Horton Hears A Who” by Dr. Seuss.

Dobrin, who graduates in May, plans on going to PVCC before transferring to a four-year school to get his teaching degree. “I’m not sure what school I’ll go to, but JMU is definitely the stronger possibility. I’m also not sure what I want to teach yet, but I’m leaning towards History or English, or possibly even Theatre,” he said. Dobrin also added that while enrolled at Piedmont, he’d like to judge future forensic competitions.

Corbin will be competing at the National Catholic Forensic League tournament on May 23-25 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and in National Forensic League tournament on June 14-20 in Dallas, Texas. “I’m certainly not expecting to win Nationals, but I’m hoping I can break into semi-finals or finals this year,” he said. “I really just enjoy competing [with] and meeting people from around the country.”