Alumni

About LSW Forensics

The Lincoln Southwest Forensics Team started in 2002, the same year the school opened, under Matt and Toni Heimes’ coaching. Since then they have gone on to win multiple tournaments and take countless students to both the state and national tournaments. In 2002 the team was comprised of 35 students and since then has held steady at about 75 members

Benefits of Forensics
According to a 1999 Wall Street Journal article mere participants of a forensics program have a 4% higher acceptance rate to top tier colleges than non-participants while state and national forensics winners have a 22-30% higher acceptance rate.  The pool of students who participated in forensics did an better overall in college admissions than school newspaper reporters, who only saw a 3% increase, sports team captains with only a 5% increase, class president with a 5% increase, and band students with a 3% increase. Amy Azzam for a 2008 Educational Leadership Journal says, “Debate teaches critical thinking and literacy. It helps develop students’ organizational and research skills. It promotes self-confidence. Most of all, it empowers students, especially marginalized students, by giving them a voice; it can transform them into advocates for themselves and their communities.” A 1994 NASSP Bulletin entitled The Value of Performing Arts Education in Our Schools says “an education in the performing arts provides students with a rich environment within which to create and grow. The performing arts facilitate learning by requiring students to think, not just to memorize.”

How You Can Help
We welcome a variety of help. Please consider the following options [see Giving Form]

Where are they now?  LSW Forensics alumni are pursuing a variety of degrees at the following institutions:

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Creighton University

Gustavus (MN)

Colorado College

University of Northern Colorado

University of Colorado

University of Pennsylvania

University of Oregon

Bradley University

Stanford

Northwestern

University of Minnesota

Western Kentucky University

American University

Roosevelt University-Chicago

Rhode Island School of Design

Washington University-St. Louis

University of Nebraska-Kearney

Kansas University

Weslyan College

Smith College

Doane College

Nebraska Weslyan

University of Michigan

University of South Dakota

Tufts University