Speech students brought home 21 Division 1 ratings from state speech contest March 15 in Eldridge. Eleven of the 21 were straight “I” ratings from all three judges; additionally, two were named to all-state performing – senior Aaron Van Maanen in expository and senior Sydney Swanson in lit. program.
Other straight “I” ratings were earned by Van Maanen, solo improv; freshman Chandler Jahner, prose; senior Claire Anderson, solo musical theatre; junior Greta Putnam, solo musical theatre; junior Kody Beller, expository and prose; freshman Luke Schemm, storytelling; senior Sam Blatt, lit. program; senior Suzanna Hall, prose.
Additionally, overall “I” ratings went to sophomore Ben Tiskevics, storytelling; junior Chase Petty, solo improv.; junior Christina Gualtieri, spontaneous speaking; junior Colin Jones, lit. program; sophomore Craig Miller, after dinner speaking; sophomore Joe Gaiser, after dinner speaking; junior Josh Da, storytelling; sophomore Laurel Stelter, prose; junior Matthew Sutija, solo improv.; and, Swanson, acting;
“II” ratings were earned by junior Hannah Smart, spontaneous speaking; freshman Nicole Schnebbe, original oratory; freshman Ryan Van Maanen, prose; junior Sally Ropes, poetry; and, Blatt, original oratory.
Suzie Jones and Ashlee Whittington are speech coaches.