Mount Vernon High School speech had 11 groups earning Division I ratings at State Large Group Speech contest held at Cedar Rapids Kennedy Saturday, Feb. 5. Nine of those groups had straight Division I ratings (all three judges awarding a Division I rating). All State Large Group speech nominations were not announced by press deadline.
Those earning Division I ratings were: choral reading “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; ensemble acting “Controlling Interests” starring Lydia Benesh, Tori Oelrich, Charlie Krob, Lily Booth and Jess Belding, “Sports!” starring Ty Panos, Audrey Tucker and Milo Olinger and “The actor’s Nightmare” starring Aiden Campbell, Ali Ott, Ben Johnson, Avery Plathe and Margaret Player; group mimes “Trapped” starring Dallas Olberding, Laila Moellering and Margaret Player and “Wherefore Art We?” starring Michael Briesemeister, Milo Olinger; group improvisation “Banana Waffles” starring Anna Hoffman, Lily Booth and Piper Price; musical theatres “Little Women” starring Anna Hoffman, Finley McVay, Kylie Pyatt, Lillian Bishop, Piper Price and Remy Merrill 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; and 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.
Earning Division II ratings at state were: choral reading “Dear Abbi” starring Renee Vig, Sky Rodman, Natalie Thuerauf and Emmett Jordan; radio broadcasting “ONN” starring Dashiell Yamanishi, Devyn Hanson and Rafe Pisarik; short film “Squid Balls” starring Atticus Rood, Charlie Krob, Claire Gaffney and Dylan Winkler; and ensemble acting “The Scary Question” starring Avi Anthony and Noah Webster.