Benton to serve as president of South Carolina Forensic Coaches’ Association

MONCKS CORNER, SC – Jess Benton, full-release teacher mentor with Berkeley County School District, will serve as President of the South Carolina Forensic Coaches’ Association (SCFCA) during the 2015-2016 academic year.

Explaining her goals for the year, Benton said, “Most of the active speech and debate schools are located in the Upstate. I hope to work with coaches and programs throughout the state to increase participation. In addition, one of the components of the national organization is service; I would like to promote and increase the service public speaking opportunities for students. I think this is a great way to showcase to the community and state how talented, thoughtful and intelligent South Carolina students are.”

As president, Benton will communicate with coaches about training updates. She also will facilitate the 2016 SCFCA State Tournament. Benton will assist new coaches and promote public speaking activities for all students throughout the state.

“Competitive speech and debate programs are great for all students because they help students grow as individuals and as part of teams. They instill self-respect and self-confidence and give students the opportunity to connect with peers from across the state. Whether the student loves to be in front of a crowd or avoids giving a speech in class, speech, debate and acting activities can be such a positive influence,” said Benton, explaining the benefits of speech and debate for students.

Benton was an English teacher at Berkeley High School from 2008 until 2014. From 2012 until 2014, she was the SCFCA Secretary. She went on to become the organization’s vice president from 2014 through June 2015, when she was selected as president. Benton has been a full-release teacher mentor in Berkeley County School District since 2014.