Decorah HS does well at District Speech

The Decorah HS varsity speech team received 21 division one ratings at the District Large Group Speech Contest at Waukon High School on Saturday, while the 9th grade team received four division one ratings.

That means 25 Decorah speech groups will advance to the state contest February 2nd at Dubuque Senior High School.  Contest details, including a schedule, will be available later this week at www.ihssa.org.

The varsity students are coached by Thomas Houdek, Molly Holkesvik, Janelle Keune, and Gabe Twedt. The 9th grade students are coached by junior and senior speech students.

DHS Varsity speech groups advancing include readers theater, choral reading, one-act play, three ensemble actings, three group improvisations, three group mimes, one solo mime, three musical theaters, two radio broadcastings, two short films, and television news:

Readers Theater directed by Gabe Twedt "Once a Pawn a Time" Gabrielle Cowie, Emma Dambek, Oran Deen-Lester, McKinley Eide, Jakob Frueh, Carli Galligan, Madison Grimm, Rita Marie Guzman, Kylie Kozelka, Taylor Lane, Kelly Minear, Daniel Rinaldelli, Dylan Stoddard Henning, Katie Whitehill, and Kinsey Whitehill

Choral Reading directed by Molly Holkesvik and Gabe Twedt "Untamed Chickens" Kirsten Arneson, Randi-Kate Canoy, Reese Drenth, McKinley Eide, Dailen Folkedahl, Alice Gullekson, Morgan Ihde, Kiersten Jensen, Kendra Larsen, Emily Markee, Maria Mertzenich, Hannah Hougen, Lukas Phillips, Anna Swanson, Lindsay Vande Lune

One-Act Play directed by Thomas Houdek "Candid" Simon Cropp, Olivia Dieschbourg, Connor Gossman, Molly Hovden, Jacob Kvale, James Ostlie, Michael Peter, Bryce Pierce, Zachary Schaller, Drew Schwartz, and Aidan Spencer

Ensemble Acting directed by Janelle Keune "Wit" Charles Baldwin, Micheal Foster, Connor Freeman, Lydia Hayes, Clara Kittelson, and Shelby Varney

Ensemble Acting directed by Janelle Keune "Rabbit Hole" Claire Breitenstein, Simon Cropp, Paul Fadness, Noreen Gentry, and Christa Nelson

Ensemble Acting directed by Janelle Keune "Almost, Maine" Mitchell Burggraf, Erik Dale, Kayla Ingvalson, Thomas Knobbe, Anna Madrigal, and Kayla Peterson

Group Improvisation directed by Thomas Houdek: Will Yahr, Freddie Paulson, McKenzie Snyder, Samuel Iverson, and Teressa Lundvedt

Group Improvisation directed by Thomas Houdek: Alexis Hove, Anna Kane, Caleb Kvale, Shelby Stalberger, and Tess Olinger

Group Improvisation directed by Thomas Houdek: Anna Madrigal, Kayla Ingvalson, Linnea Kephart, Patrick Murphy, and Rebbeca Alcock

Group Mime directed by Molly Holkesvik "Marionette Magic" Leigh Balderrama, Alexis Hove, Madison Ihde, Anna Kane, Linnea Kephart, and Tess Olinger

Group Mime directed by Molly Holkesvik "Window Shopping" Abby Flak, Noreen Gentry, Ashley Peterson, Shelby Stalberger, and Anna Swanson

Group Mime directed by Molly Holkesvik "The Power of One" Erik Dale, Jennifer Henry, Teressa Lundvedt, and Johanne Jacobsen Standal

Solo Mime directed by Molly Holkesvik "Cheating Smarts" Charles Baldwin

Musical Theater directed by Thomas Houdek "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" Steven Holkesvik, Bretta Krieg, Margaret Locke, Gable Lonning, Gara Lonning, and Brad Suhr

Musical Theater directed by Thomas Houdek "Fiddler on the Roof" Lucas Blekeberg, Aubrey Ellickson, Hannah Leeper, Timothy Misseldine, Kayla Peterson, and Aidan Spencer

Musical Theater directed by Thomas Houdek "Les Miserables" Connor Gossman, Jacob Kvale, James Ostlie, Michael Peter, and Drew Schwartz

Radio Broadcasting directed by Gabe Twedt "TRUE" Gabriela Diefelt Streese, Emily Gomersall, Hans Holkesvik, Dalton Matt, McKinleigh McCabe, Maria Mertzenich, Lindsay Smith, and Daiton Tietz

Radio Broadcasting directed by Gabe Twedt "KUFF" Reid Drenth, Parker Fretheim, Clare Gullekson, Jennison Jenkins, Maria McDonough, Lukas Phillips, and Jordan Schaller

Short Film directed by Molly Holkesvik "Inside His Skin" Ely Cepeda, Tim Devore, Carli Galligan, Madison Grimm, Michelle Halse, Jenny Henry, Hannah Hougen, Molly Hovden, Jennison Jenkins, Tyler Lubke, Cera Olson, Hannah Rooney, and Paul Sullivan

Short Film directed by Molly Holkesvik "Silent Symphony" Lucas Alonso, Sara-Isabell Bibiza, Mitchell Burggraf, Annalise Johnson, Noah Klammer, Adam Knight, Kylie Kozelka, Crystal Mensen, Dustin Miller, Forde Nesteby, Alison Schwartzhoff, Chris Wiesler, and Ian Wold

Television News directed by Molly Holkesvik "KIRK" Lucas Alonso, Sara-Isabell Bibiza, Claire Breitenstein, Emma Dambek, Lydia Dawley, Tim DeVore, Micheal Foster, Connor Freeman, Parker Fretheim, Alice Gullekson, Clare Gullekson, Brenna Herrmann, Seven Holkesvik, Maria Hoyme, Kassie Hoyme, Madison Ihde, Morgan Ihde, Annalise Johnson, Adam Knight, Maria McDonough, Mary Murphy, Forde Nesteby, Ashley Peterson, Bryce Pierce, Zachary Schaller, Lindsay Smith, and Ian Wold

DHS 9th speech groups advancing include two ensemble actings, one group mime, and one short film. Cast lists for those groups are as follows:

Ensemble Acting directed by Kiersten Jensen and Randi-Kate Canoy "The Learned Ladies" Linnea Carlson, Naomi Davidson, Annika Krieg, Annika Wahlberg

Ensemble Acting directed by Shelby Varney and Clara Kittelson "Speed Date" Garret Baumler, Cassandra Bjerke, Bryce Hosting, Andrew Larson, Ashley Schwartzhoff, Kallie Solberg

Group Mime directed by Maleah Garwood and Leigh Balderrama "Battle at the Arcade" Shelby Bollman, Jonathan Drow, Madison Hoyme, John Will Jenkins, Maria Maguina, Andrew Sullivan

Short Film directed by Paul Sullivan and Noah Klammer "The Masquerade" Sofiya Andrusishin, Garret Baumler, Ben Dugger, Chloe Gossling, Madison Hoyme, Hannah Klotzbach, Andrew Larson, Katelyn Perez, Andrew Sullivan, Emma Sweet, Gabriel Varney, Miles Wilkie

Other DHS speech groups that also competed at the district contest included one readers theater, one choral reading, two musical theaters, one ensemble acting, one solo mime, one group mime, three group improvisations, one radio broadcasting. Cast lists for those groups are as follows:

Readers Theater directed by Kinsey Whitehill, Kelly Minear, and Oran Deen-Lester "In the Land of Perpendicular" Margaret Breitenstein, Ben Dugger, Ashlynn Franzen, Melanie Gossman, Bryce Hosting, Hannah Klotzbach, Madison McCabe, Tim Meyer, Cyrek Nelson, Tristan Rowley, Taylor Schuring, Kalle Solberg, Timothy Winter, and Katelyn Yee

Choral Reading directed by Kirsten Arneson and Emily Markee "Defined by Design" Sofiya Andrusishin, Laurel Fadness, Kahler Folkedahl, Ashlynn Franzen, Chloe Gossling, Melanie Gossman, Ashley Gulrud, Lara Guzman, Maria Maguina, Katelyn Perez, Ashley Schwartzhoff, and Sarah Zidlicky

Musical Theater directed by Aubrey Ellickson and Bretta Krieg "Cinderella" Linnea Carlson, Autumn DeLong, Laurel Fadness, Annika Krieg, and Katelyn Perez

Musical Theater directed by Kendra Larsen and Brad Suhr "Seussical" Margaret Breitenstein, Naomi Davidson, Loden Henning, Annika Wahlberg, and Timothy Winter

Ensemble Acting directed by Alison Schwartzhoff and Crystal Mensen "13 Ways to Screw Up Your College Interview" Autumn DeLong, Ashley Gulrud, Cyrek Nelson, Thomas Pecinovsky, and Tristan Rowley

Solo Mime directed by Molly Holkesvik "Picture Perfect" Gabriela Diefelt Streese

Group Mime directed by Abby Flak and Jenny Henry "Dance the Night Away" Brianna Doyle, Tyler Flak, Taylor Schuring, Emma Sweet, Sondra Zidlicky, and Sarah Zidlikcy

Group Improvisation directed by Patrick Murphy, Rebecca Alcock, and Dailen Folkedahl: Cassandra Bjerke, Jonathan Drow, Loden Henning, and Miles Wilkie

Group Improvisation directed by Patrick Murphy, Rebecca Alcock, and Dailen Folkedahl: Derek Weis, Hannah Sikkink, Kelsey Kruse, and Tim Meyer

Group Improvisation directed by Patrick Murphy, Rebecca Alcock, and Dailen Folkedahl: John Will Jenkins, Kahler Folkedahl, and Lara Guzman

Radio Broadcasting directed by Hans Holkesvik and McKinleigh McCabe "KUSA" Brianna Doyle, Tyler Flak, Madison McCabe, Thomas Pecinovsky, Hannah Sikkink, Gabriel Varney, Derek Weis, and Sondra Zidlicky