If you ask a forensics student at HFII what they look forward to most each year, they’ll scream “Mackinac” before you even get the chance to finish the question. At the end of the forensics season, Michigan Interscholastic Forensics Association (MIFA) hosts a competition at the famous Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. Theatre Director Kirstin Carolin has been attending this event for 35 years, since she was on the forensics team at Ford herself during her own high school years.

Carolin did forensics and theatre all 4 years of high school, has coached forensics, is the director of the HFII theatre department, teaches all 5 in-school theatre classes and is a member of the Michigan Speech Coaches Association. Whenever she visits she “owns” the island according to most forensics kids due to her elaborate outfits. The MSCA crowned her Theatre Coach of the Year during the award ceremony on Saturday night.

“I wasn’t expecting to win the award at all,” Carolin said.

To win the award, members of the forensics and speech community submit essays to the MSCA nominating a coach they think goes above and beyond, and this year HFII’s very own director received the honor. Although she doesn’t know who nominated her, she is humbled to receive it.

“When my name got called for the award, I honestly felt embarrassed because despite what people may think about theatre teachers, I don’t like being the center of attention,” Carolin said.

All her years of hardwork in the forensics and speech community earned her a very coveted title and her students are incredibly proud of their teacher.

“Ms. Carolin is a great, supportive teacher who we can all can count on and she deserves every bit of recognition from the MSCI for her hard work,” sophomore Fernanda Hernandez said.

Ms. Carolin would like to thank her students who nominated her for the award and is already busy working on plans for Ford’s theatre department for the upcoming year.