Iowa’s best high school speech performers will gather in Ames this weekend for the All-State Speech Festival.

Pella High School will once again send a group to Iowa State Center on Saturday. This year, it’s the improv group made up of Julie Start, Isaac Zeimetz, Grace Larson and Ethan Vance that will perform. Minus Zeimetz, the team has worked together since 9th grade.

Start and Larson tell KNIA/KRLS News this group of comedians have enjoyed the many memories they’ve made, on top of the honor of going to All-State.

“It’s a lot of fun to be honest,” Larson says. “Just to going out and doing it with friends is so much fun. I mean, going to All-State is great, but I just think–I don’t know, being with each other and having a fun time is what I think about it.”

“It’s a competition for being silly,” Smart says.

Improv at the high school contest is made up of a group of four who are given a scenario. Larson says they build their group with specific characters in just a few minutes, and the majority of the humor coming five-minute performance is a matter of listening to one another and quick-thinking.

Hear more from the Pella High Improv Group on Let’s Talk Pella, and tune in tomorrow to hear from the Pella Christian Musical Theatre All-State Ensemble.