Area speech students had a successful day at the Iowa High School Speech Association State Contest.

Students from Pella, Knoxville, Pella Christian, PCM, Pleasantville, Melcher-Dallas and Twin Cedars were featured in 91 total performances at the event held in Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School. Pella had 11 acts receive straight division I ratings from a panel of three judges, the highest possible score, and nine other students receive an overall excellent rating as well. Three Knoxville performers earned the highest rating, with four others earning an overall division I score. Pella Christian received a sweep of division I marks in nine of their 17 performances, with 15 total receiving an overall I rating.

Twenty-nine performances from Pella, Knoxville, Pella Christian, PCM, Pleasantville and Melcher-Dallas are eligible for all-state nominations, which will be released today. The All-State Festival will take place at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls on Monday, March 26th.

Ratings:
All Division I – Highest Possible Score, eligible for All-State Nomination
Division I – Excellent
Division II – Good
Division III – Fair
Division IV – Did Not Quality

Pella High:
Grace Larson – After Dinner – All Division I
Grace Larson – Review – All Division I
Isaac Zeimetz – Acting – All Division I
Isaac Zeimetz – Improv – I, I, II (Overall I)
Connor Gauley – Improv – All Division I
Connor Gauley – After Dinner – II, I, II (Overall II)
Kaleb Nguyen – Prose – All Division I
Kaleb Nguyen – After Dinner – I, II, II (Overall II)
Will Rasmussen – Improv – All Division I
Will Rasmussen – Radio News – I, II, I (Overall I)
Natalie Henry – Solo Musical Theatre – II, I, I (Overall I)
Zoe Card – Literary Program – I, II, I (Overall I)
Allison Clark – Review – I, II, I (Overall I)
Travis Mitchell – After Dinner – All Division II
Hanna Kendall – Prose – All Division I
Ethan Vance – Literary Program – All Division I
Ethan Vance – Improv – All Division I
Luigi Lopez – Storytelling – I, I, II (Overall I)
Caroline Henry – Prose – I, II, I (Overall I)
Taylor Decious – Solo Musical Theatre – I, I, II (Overall I)
Michael Schildroth – Solo Musical Theatre – All Division I
Abygail Schuring – Solo Musical Theatre – All Division II
Liam Peffers – Literary Program – II, I, I (Overall I)
Brenna Hildebrand – Acting – All Division I
Jack Stratton – Radio News – IV
Elaine Schippers – Poetry – II, I, I (Overall I)
Elizabeth Lovell – Poetry – I, II, II (Overall II)

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Pella Christian:

Ryan Van Gilst – Prose – All Division I
Ryan Van Gilst – Musical Theatre – I, I, II (Overall I)
Alexis De Vries – Poetry – II, I, II (Overall II)
Alexis De Vries – Lit Program – All Division I
Thomas Dykstra – Musical Theatre – II, I, I (Overall I)
Mitaya Williams – Storytelling – I, II, I (Overall I)
MItaya Williams – Lit Program – II, I, II (Overall II)
Tyler Egesdal – Musical Theatre – All Division I
Tyler Egedsal – Storytelling – All Division I
Lindsay Breon – Storytelling – All Division I
Emma Stravers – Acting – All Division I
Abby Ambroson – Poetry – All Division I
Patrick Strang – Poetry – All Division I
Dawson Ford – Review – I, I, II (Overall I)
Halie Vermillion – After Dinner – I, II, I (Overall I)
Abigail Gosselink – Prose – I, II, I (Overall I)
Emily Van Beek – Prose – All Division I

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Knoxville:

Katelynn Collins – Musical Theatre – All Division I
Nyan Baker – Original Oratory – All Division II
Nyan Baker – Spontaneous Speaking – I, I, II (Overall I)
Asa Leonard – Original Oratory – II, I, I (Overall I)
Asa Leonard – Spontaneous Speaking – All Division I
Tierney Heffron – Spontaneous Speaking – All Division I
Alaina Gerdes – Poetry – II, II, I (Overall II)
David Balush – Expository Address – I, I, II (Overall I)
Taylor Wyss – Poetry – I, II, I (Overall I)

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PCM:

Alex Inskeep – Literary Program – All Division II
Sydney Burns – Musical Theatre – All Division II
Magan Van Haaftan – Poetry Reading – II, I, II (Overall II)
Blake VanDerKamp – Acting – I, I, II (Overall I)
Madeline Buys – Musical Theatre – All Division II
Jacob Cox – Improvisation – All Division I
Jacob Cox – Spontaneous Speaking – All Division II
Brenden VanderPool – Improvisation – All Division II
Payton Konek – Public Address – I, II, I (Overall I)
Carson Clark – After Dinner Speaking – I, II, I (Overall I)
Madeline Ladehoff – Storytelling – All Division II

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Twin Cedars:

Hunter McCombs – Radio News – II, I, II (Overall II)
Hunter McCombs – Improv – All Division II
Anna Lopez – Radio News – II, II, I (Overall II)
Casandra Whitlow – Poerty – II, I, II (Overall II)
Christian Goemaat – Improv – II, II, I (Overall II)

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Melcher-Dallas:

Evan Putz – Prose – All Division II
J’Lyn Knutson – Poetry – II, II, I (Overall II)
Elizabeth Milburn – Poetry – All Division II
Sarah Hyatt – Acting – I, II, II (Overall II)
Sarah Hyatt – Storytelling – All Division I
Abby Tadder – Reviewing – II, II, I (Overall II)

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Pleasantville:
Jack Ray – Acting – All Division I
Jack Ray – Solo Musical Theatre – All Division I
Sierra Hallmann – Prose – I, I, II (Overall I)
Jack Lauer – Original Oratory – I, I, II (Overall I)
Jack Lauer – Acting – I, I, II (Overall I)
Avery Lauer – Solo Musical Theatre – I, I, II (Overall I)
Avery Lauer – Prose – I, II, II (Overall II)
Josie Houser – Poetry – All Division II
Tessa Wadle – Original Oratory – All Division II
Tessa Wadle – Acting – II, II, I (Overall II)
Shaneen Gan – Expository Address – All Division I
Chance Bender – Lit Program – I, II, II (Overall II)
Melena Johnson – Poetry – I, I, II (Overall I)
Kendra Robbins – Expository Address – I, I, II (Overall I)
Joe Culp – Review – All Division I
Chance Bender – After Dinner Speaking – I, I, II (Overall I)