Mount Vernon took 35 events and 23 students to the district speech competition at Central City Saturday, Feb. 26.
“We earned 23 Division I ratings and 16 students will be moving to the state contest, which will be held at Grinnell High School Saturday, March 12,” said Tawnua Tenley, Mount Vernon head coach. “Although there were some disappointing ratings, every piece improved from Monday night’s WAMAC contest. Many students ranked 1st through 3rd in their centers at WaMac, and those rankings along with every division I rating, earned points for the team.”
Mount Vernon placed second overall at the WaMac contest.
Earning Division I ratings at district contest were: Aden Grudzinski in after dinner speaking and storytelling, Ali Ott in poetry and original oratory, Ashlynn Carter-Shook in literary program, Audrey Tucker in after dinner speaking, Ben Johnson in original oratory and public address, Dallas Olberding in poetry, Ellie Barkalow in solo musical theatre, Kylie Pyatt in literary program, Lillian Bishop in storytelling and literary program, Lydia Benesh in acting and spontaneous speaking, Michael Briesemeister in prose, Milo Ollinger in acting and after dinner speaking, Natalie Spinsby in prose and acting, Sierra Snyder in spontaneous speaking, Tyler Panos in solo musical theatre and Sky Rodman in solo musical theatre.
Earning Division II ratings were: Carter-Shook in storytelling, Jessica Belding in poetry, Kayleigh Kirton in solo improvisation and radio news announcing, Matt Tijerina in review and radio news announcing, Sierra Snyder in radio news announcing, Steven Wolfe in review, Avi Anthony in expository address, Natalie Thereauf in spontaneous speaking, and Penelope Vig in solo musical theatre and spontaneous speaking.
WaMac Conference resultsEarlier in the week, Mount Vernon participated in the WaMac speech contest.
A number of Mount Vernon speakers were ranked in events at the contest. Spinsby was first, Benesh second and Ollinger fourth in acting; Ollinger was first and Tucker fourth in after dinner speaking; Kirton second in solo improvisation; Ott first in original oratory; Pyatt second and Bishop third in literary program; Barkalow first and Panos fourth in solo musical theatre; Spinsby third in prose; Snyder first, Kirton second and Tijerina fourth in radio news announcing; Benesh first and Snyder fourth in spontaneous speaking; and Grudzinski fourth in storytelling.
Earning Division Is at conference were: Benesh and Spinsby in acting; Ollinger and Tucker in after dinner speaking; Bishop and Pyatt in literary program; Rodman, Barkalow, Vig and Panos in solo musical theatre; Ott in original oratory; Ott, Belding and Olberding in poetry; Spinsby and Briesemeister in prose; Kirton and Snyder in radio news announcing, Benesh in spontaneous speaking, Carter-Shook, Bishop and Grudzinski in storytelling.
Earning Division II ratings at conference were: Ollinger in acting, Anthony in expository address, Grudzinski in after dinner speaking, Carter-Shook in literary program, Tijerina in radio news announcing, Snyder, Vig and Thereauf in spontaneous speaking,