DID YOU KNOW -- Since October 2000 when the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation television series was launched, speech students across the country have been explaining that the type of forensics they do has nothing to do with ballistics or blood splatter analysis.

The Virginia High School League has been supporting speech programs in public high schools since 1915 when it recognized a girls and boys champion in prose readings. The popularity of the event quickly spread and the contest evolved with the addition of pubic speaking in 1921, poetry reading in 1924 and spelling in 1930. Then came extemporaneous speaking and original oratory (with the removal of public speaking) in 1970, humorous and serious dramatic interpretation in 1986, duo interpretation in 1993, the splitting of extemporaneous speaking into domestic and foreign topics in 1994, storytelling in 1996 and impromptu speaking (with the removal of spelling) in 2003.

Since crowning of team champions began during the 1988-89 school year, clear powerhouses have emerged across the Groupings with Madison County High School winning 13 of 22 titles in Group A, Blacksburg High School winning 15 of 22 titles in AA, James Madison High School of Vienna winning seven AAA titles, Princess Anne High School of Virginia Beach winning six Group AAA titles and Salem High School of Salem winning the last five Group AA championships.

In 2010, Indian River High School won its first Group AAA championship, with Salem High School in Group AA winning its fifth straight title and Coeburn High School winning for the first time in Group A.

1,571 girls and 1,079 boys at 193 member schools participated in forensics in 2008-09.

In Forensics