Tahsis Jensen of Forest Grove was a big winner at the 2013 Performing Arts BC Provincial Festival at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre, May 26-30.
Jensen won the speech arts Senior Shakespeare division with her performance of a piece from Shakespeare’s King John.
She also won with that piece at 100 Mile Festival of the Arts in April.
The 17-year-old has competed six times at the provincial competition and has won the Shakespeare division three times.
She says the discipline of speech arts has developed her love of words and expression through the years.
Her teacher Ginny Alexander says Jensen is simply in love with words.
“She’s a very diligent student and does her work. It’s been a joy to teach her.”
Jensen says she had more than the usual butterflies to deal with at the competition.
“I was sick at provincials and really tired. I’m always scared in the morning at festival, but Shakespeare is always the last division, so I can settle myself enough to do it.”
Jensen graduated from Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School in June and she plans to continue doing speech arts exams while she studies theatre at University of Victoria.