The Knoxville High School speech team as well as the Pleasantville High School speech team performed at the district competition in Newton on Saturday.

Six students from Knoxville and 16 students from Pleasantville posted a one rating and earned a spot at the state speech competition in two weeks. Asa Leonard, Shannon Yocum, Tierney Heffron, Alaina Gerdes, Cidney DeWitt, and Nyan Baker from Knoxville move on to state. Josie Beier, Chloe Bender, Brooke Mead, Afton West, Chance Bender, Joe Culp, Melvin Moore, Jack Ray, Colton Stephens, Josie Houser, Melena Johnson, Avery Lauer, Jack Lauer, Tess Ray, Grace Stephens, and Conner Stone all will move on to state for Pleasantville. The state competition will take place on March 11th in Vinton. At the state competition the Knoxville and Pleasantville students will try to become outstanding performers for an opportunity to move onto the All-State competition on March 27th.