The Mount Vernon High School speech team competed at the district large group speech contest at Monticello Saturday, Jan. 22.
“It was a really good day, and the coaches were so proud of every group, many of whom were dealing with this year’s covid substitution rule change, either missing a member or having someone substitute for a group member by reading a script,” said Tawnua Tenley, individual head speech coach. “Judges were made aware of covid substitutions, and those missing group members will be able to rejoin the group if they made it through to the state competition.”
Mount Vernon had an at-home event Monday, Jan. 17, instead of going to the WaMac competition, also due to lots of covid issues throughout the season.
The four coaches for the team are Grant Freeman, Ned Kelly (English teacher), Zak Moran (alumn from 2013) and Tenley.
Earning Division I ratings at district were: choral readings “13:36; or How I Haven’t Seen Barbados” starring Abbey Keen, Ali Ott, Ash Steen, Ashlee Elliott, Ava Dimmer, Finley McVay, Kaleigh Jordan, Kylie Pyatt, Natalie Clark, Natalie Spinsby, Remy Merrill and Tessa Baty and “Dear Abbi” starring Renee Vig, Sky Rodman, Natalie Thuerauf and Emmett Jordan (coached by Natalie Spinsby and Ashlynn Steen); ensemble acting “Controlling Interests” starring Lydia Bensh, Tori Oelrich, Charlie Krob, Lily Booth and Jess Belding, “Sports!” starring Ty Panos, Audrey Tucker and Milo Olinger, “The Actors Nightmare” starring Aiden Campbell, Ali Ott, Ben Johnson, Avery Plathe and Margaret Player and “The Scary Question” starring Avi Anthony and Noah Webster; group mimes “Trapped” starring Dallas Olberding, Laila Moellering, Margaret Player, “Wherefore Art We?” starring Michael Briesemeister and Milo Ollinger; group improvisation “Banana Waffles” starring Anna Hoffman, Lily Booth and Piper Price; musical theatre “Little Women” starring Anna Hoffman, Finley McVay, Kylie Pyatt, Lillian Bishop, Piper Price and Remy Merrill (coached by Tessa Baty and Lydia Benesh) and “Villains Anonymous” starring Ash Steen, Natalie Spinsby, Tessa Baty and Ty Panos; one act play “All by Myself” starring Aden Grudzinski, Lydia Benesh, Audrey Tucker, Dallas Olberding and Laila Moellering; radio news broadcasting “ONN” starring Dashiell Yamanishi, Devyn Hanson and Rafe Pisarik; readers theatre “Three Skeleton Key” starring Ashlynn Carter-Shook, Ben Johnson, Devyn Hanson, Elizabeth Barns, Hannah Dewitte, Jess Belding, Julia Dietsch, Kayleigh Kirton, Parker Sauser and Sierra Snyder and short film “Squid Balls” starring Atticus Rood, Charlie Krob, Claire Gaffney, Dylan Winkler.
Earning Division II ratings were: group mime “Sound of Silence: A Love Story” starring Kayleigh Kirton, Lillian Bishop and Michelle Hanna; group improvisations “Dude, Where’s my Cat?” starring Aden Grudzinski, Michael Briesemeister, Michelle Hanna and Rafe Pisarik, “Taco Tuesdays” starring Dashiell Yamanishi, Matthew Tijerina and Ranger Hanna and “Goldfish Crackers” starring Avi Anthony, Penelope Vig and Natalie Thuerauf; musical theatre “Annie” starring Abbey Keen, Ashlee Elliott, Ashlynn Carter-Shook, Ava Dimmer, Elizabeth Barns, Mollie Snedden and Natalie Clark (coached by Anna Hoffman and Piper Price) and ”Friendship” starring Renee Vig and Penelope Vig; short film “Cheating Death” starring Julia Dietsch, Matthew Tijerina, Ranger Hanna and Sierra Snyder; and TV news “World E.N.D. News” starring Atticus Rood, Avery Plathe, Claire Gaffney, Dylan Winkler and Stevie Wolfe.