Speech team shines at district contest

New Hampton High School large group speech coach Johnny Connor couldn’t help himself Saturday afternoon.
He may have been the most dapper coach — the white tie and white shoes, along with the red coat made sure of that — at the Iowa High School Speech Association’s district contest, but he definitely got his “steps in.”
“It is nerve-wracking waiting for results, plus we had a lot of entries so I was running all over that school,” he said with a laugh. “A lot of these students worked really hard, and contest day is always a little crazy.”
And this year it was especially crazy as New Hampton took 18 groups consisting of almost 90 students to the contest at MFL-Mar-Mac High School in Monona.
“I’m not going to lie, it’s cool seeing so many kids — from all walks of life at our school, too — in speech,” Connor said. “Obviously, I’m biased, but it is a great activity for students. Being able to communicate, when in life doesn’t that count?”
And New Hampton had a solid day as seven groups consisting of 35 students earned coveted superior Division I ratings and advanced to the state contest that will be held in Decorah on Feb. 3.
The groups and students included:
• Improv “Breaking into the Zoo at Night” — Hanna Wiltse, Michaela Fitzgerald, Nick TeKippe and Carver Gage.
• Improv freshman “Drinking Spoiled Milk” — Grace Burrett, Emma Rosokne and Avery Throndson.
• Group mime “Movie Night — Hanna Wiltse, Regan Gebel, Branigan Dahl, Brittney White and Faith Erdman.
• Choral Reading “Me Too” — Emma Reicherts, Morgan Nuss, Ethan Rosonke, Megan Ohm, Alexa Wemark, Christina Speicher, Kaylee Eggerichs, Allison Nuss, Kacey Olson, Madison Kolbet and Laney Roberson.
• Musical Theatre “Cell Block Tango” — Savannah Anderson, Sydney Lau, Sarah Douglas, Jessica Kuennen, Isabel Leichtman and Grace Denner.
• Ensemble Acting “Catholic School Girls” — Journey Howe, Rachel Grober, Kori Jirak and Brittney White.

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* Ensemble Acting “Perfect” — Hannah Schwicherath and Jeffery Reicks.