Jasper County will be well represented at the State Large Group Speech Competition that begins at 8 a.m. Saturday at Clear Creek Amana High School. Speech students from every school district in Jasper County advanced to the state competition by earning Division I ratings at the Iowa High School Speech Association’s District Large Group Speech Contest in Pella on January 24th.
There will be seven state performances by Newton High School students. They include the Musical Theatre groups “Forever Plaid” with Mathias Bloom, Ian Alexander, Jeffery Cope, and Kaden Banwell, and “Singin’ in the Rain” with Ben Magana, Zoey Soppe, and David Cope. Three Improve Groups advanced featuring Team Magana: Ben Magana, Mathias Bloom, Jeffrey Cope, Ian Alexander, and Kaden Banwell; Team Soppe: Miles Soppe, David Cope, Lucy Simon, and Makenzie Clark; and Team McConkey: Natalie McConkey, Molly Overbay, and Kayden Langston. Performing “Villains Anonymous” in the Reader’s Theatre category will be Zoey Soppe, Paxton Panada, Kathryn Earl, and Hannah Templeman. Newton’s Paxton Panada will also compete in Solo Mime.
PCM Speech performances Saturday include Reader’s Theatre with Addy Breckenridge, Brighton Ingle, Caleb Ingle, Hayden Pierson, Kynlee VanDerHart, and Olivia Birkenholtz. In Radio Broadcasting, PCM qualifiers are Brookelynn King, Emma Leedom, Liz Egland, London Ludwick, and Rylan Edgington. Performing in Musical Theatre for the Mustangs are Cade Burkett, Carter Dudley, Emilyn Davis, Piper Clark, and Rylan Edgington. PCM will also have three Ensemble Acting groups at state consisting of Brighton Ingle & Keira Stone; Addison Beener, Carter Dudley, and London Ludwick; and Grace Taylor, Luke Ferneding, and Sophia Hiebert.
Colfax-Mingo has one state entry. Layne Keller, Selma Metz, and Zella Perry advanced in Group Improv.
Baxter’s state speech entries include Readers Theatre with Bree Hopkins, Willow Grimes, Avery Wonders, Camden Moffit, Max Handorf, Piper Redman, Robert Richardson, Emily Winfield, and Kaitlyn Engle; and Radio Broadcasting with Avery Wonders, Camden Moffit, Callie Cross, Alivia Boike, and Denver Sulzle.
Lynnville-Sully will have three students performing tomorrow. Tess Dunlap, Sadie Manatt, andarea Haleigh Hornbuckle all qualified in TV Newscasting.