Harvard-bound recent graduates Sarah Hinkfuss '06 (left) and Eva Lam '06 (right) hold their trophies, flanking coach Adam Jacobi.  At this year’s NFL National Speech and Debate Tournament in Dallas, TX, Rufus King was the only school to win two out of 17 championship titles.  At the beginning of the event, close to 500 schools vied for competitive accolades.

Repeating her 2005 “House of Representatives” title in Student Congress, Eva Lam was the Champion Senator in this year’s National Student Congress, sponsored by the Sen. John C. Stennis Center for Public Service.  Since the first national tournament in 1931, fewer than 20 students have ever repeated a title, and only one has previously in Student Congress.  Eva earned another $6,000 scholarship for her achievement, as well as a $100 scholarship as a Four-Year Qualifier to the national tournament.

Eva’s teammate, Sarah Hinkfuss, claimed the title in Extemporaneous Commentary, earning $1,400 in scholarships.

Myra Lam '07 advanced to semi-finals in Congress, and Amjad Asad '07 advanced to round five of Extemporaneous Commentary.  Also representing Rufus King at the national tournament were Michael Johnson '06, Nicholas Nowak '06 and Kevin Bailey '08.

Rufus King High School’s forensics program has been directed since 1997 by alum Adam Jacobi, 2006 Wisconsin Forensics Coach of the Year and president of the Wisconsin Debate Coaches’ Association.  Jacobi, 28, a senior faculty member with the Florida Forensic Institute, was a consulting educator for the NFL/U.S. State Department’s International Debate Exchange Program in 2004.  Prior to teaching, Jacobi was legislative assistant to Milwaukee Ald. Michael D’Amato. 

{josquote}"These fine Rufus King students have really elevated the stature of our school, MPS and Wisconsin in the national forensics and academic arenas," said coach Adam Jacobi.{/josquote}

The National Forensic League was founded in Ripon, WI, in 1925 by Bruno E. Jacob and serves as both an honorary society, and as a competition league for speech and debate activities.  NFL trains students for leadership by encouraging participation and proficiency in speech education.  Prominent NFL alumni include President Lyndon Johnson, talk show host Oprah Winfrey, news anchor Jane Pauley, Justice Stephen Breyer, and countless other political, business, education, legal and public service figures.  The NFL national tournament and circle of champion scholarships are sponsored by Lincoln Financial Group.