The first time most people hear “forensics,” they think of crime labs and detectives. But for Jackson Guiney, Myles Helminiak, and Pierce Whitaker, it meant something completely different. It meant a stage, a script, and a chance to be heard.
Forensics is a speech competition where students perform, interpret, or argue through words. It blends public speaking, acting, and storytelling into something that feels more like performance than competition. For the three of them, it quickly became more than just an activity; it became a routine, a challenge, and eventually, a shared goal.
The journey to state forensics didn’t happen overnight. It started with selecting and creating their piece from The Midwest Survival Guide. After selecting their piece long practices and careful listening followed to perfect their performance.. After each competition, judges handed back notes—small critiques that led to big improvements. Lines were rewritten, delivery was sharpened, and every pause, gesture, and tone was practiced until it felt natural. Weeks leading up to competitions were spent running through their piece during study hall and any free time they could find.
Their first big step came at the subdistrict competition at Iowa-Grant. Nerves were high, but so was their determination. From there, they advanced to the district competition at Barneveld, where the pressure increased and the performances became even more refined. Each round pushed them to improve, to take the judges’ feedback seriously, and to trust the work they had put in. “We had to make sure that everybody had the same volume during the performance, and to add more actions in the performance.”
By the time they reached state on the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s campus, everything came together. Their performances were confident, polished, and engaging. When the final scores came in, it all paid off; they earned a perfect score out of 20, a reflection of weeks of effort and dedication.
Their piece came from The Midwest Survival Guide, chosen from a variety of options. It wasn’t just about picking a good story—it was about finding one they connected with, something they could truly bring to life on stage.
In the end, Jackson, Miles, and Pierce’s journey to state forensics wasn’t just about one competition or one perfect score. It was about growth—learning how to accept criticism, improve with each performance, and turn words on a page into something powerful enough to leave a lasting impression.