Decorah High School groups excel at State Large Group Speech Contest

Decorah High School speech and drama students participated in the Northeast State Large Group Speech Contest on Saturday at Dubuque Senior High School. Of the 25 entries the Vikings took to state contest, 23 came home with a top Division I rating. The varsity team earned nineteen Division I ratings and two Division II ratings. The ninth-grade team performed in 4 entries, all which received a Division I rating. "The Decorah speech and drama team had a spectacular showing Saturday at state speech contest," remarked the directors.

Those groups selected by the judges as outstanding material will perform at the All-State Speech Festival on February 22nd at the Iowa State Center in Ames. Those results will be posted on the IHSSA website found at www.ihssa.org late Monday afternoon.

Nineteen DHS varsity speech groups received Division I Ratings at state contest. Cast lists for these groups are as follows:

Musical Theater "Newsies" was directed by Gabe Twedt and Carrie Kauffman. Participants include Ally Bouska, Finn Deen-Lester, Tyler Irwin, Mitch Leschensky, Annette Leschensky, Noah Lovelace, Dylan Muhlbauer, and Katie Storlie.

Musical Theater "Come From Away" was directed by Gabe Twedt and Carrie Kauffman. Participants include Joseph Courtney, Amber Hussain, Leila Johnson, Nolan Jostand, Ruby Langholz, Lily Smith, and Kaj Spencer.

Ensemble Acting "The Other Room" was directed by Kristen Underwood. Participants include Drew Chamberlain, Ruby Langholz, Annette Leschensky, Landon Miller, AJ Morrow, and Dylan Muhlbauer.
                                          
Ensemble Acting "The Complete Works of Harry Potter" was directed by Gabe Twedt. Participants include Grace Bachelder, Storme Barr, Lillian Grouws, Abby Hanson, Sophie Schwartz, and Soleil Smith.

Solo Mime entries were directed by Gabe Twedt, Carrie Kauffman, and Molly Holkesvik: "Say Cheese!" by Kendra Bigler, "Boy" by Finn Deen-Lester, and "Have Mercy" by Katie Valkosky.

Group Mime entries were directed by Carrie Kauffman and Molly Holkesvik. "A Sticky Situation" was performed by Storme Barr, Morgan Brauer, Amanda Kavan, Izzy Kingsbury, Sierra Kruger, and Anja Madsen. "Fly Away" was performed by Connor Cook, Danielle Lundtvedt, Angel Peña-Rodriguez, Sophie Schwarz, and Will Schwarz.

Reader's Theater "The Old Moon" was directed by Gabe Twedt and Carrie Kauffman. Participants include Kendra Bigler, Katie Bjergum, Blake Donlon, Owen Henning, Karen Henriquez, Leila Johnson, Sierra Kruger, Noah Lovelace, Asha Merritt, Sarah Pedlar, Mya Sullivan, Britta Swanson, Katie Valkosky, and Peter Wilson.

Choral Reading "We Are Human" was directed by Molly Holkesvik. Participants include Shayla Betts, Katherine Bruening, Conner Cook, Joseph Courtney, Sofie Grouws, Abby Hanson, Aidan Hunter, Amber Hussain, Amanda Kavan, Angel Peña-Rodriguez, Maddie Putnam, Ella Runestad, Will Schwartz, Kaj Spencer, and Mya Sullivan.

One Act "Candid" was directed by Kristen Underwood. Participants include Luke Benzing, Patrick Bockman, Ally Bouska, Owen Bruening, Logan Halverson, Tyler Irwin, Galen Iverson, Mitch Leschensky, Andrew Magner, Maddie Putnam, Sam Robinson, Seth Shindelar, and Katie Storlie.      
Group Improvisation "Group One" was directed by student Tyler Irwin. Participants include Isaac Cooper, Wyatt Hackman, Nadia Johnson, and Anya Lovstuen.

TV News was directed by Gabe Twedt and Molly Holkesvik. "Crisis: The Conflict Within" cast includes Drew Chamberlain, Emma Brauer, Grace Gerleman, Sofie Grouws, Aidan Hunter, Anya Lovstuen, Keneddy Manhart, Emma Nierengarten, Samantha Reilly, Kaitlyn Schnitzler, Kari Tangen, Nia Whitsitt, Ruby Sullivan, and Rebecca Klotzbach. "Iowa Wild" cast includes Liz Clement, Landan Folkedahl, Thomas Hadley, Owen Henning, Nils Holkesvik, Mara Holland, Brendan Hunter, Lydia Ihde, Nolan Jacobsen, Kaia Neal, Mara Pankow, Kassidy Steines, Kiersten Benson, Brooke Berns, and Keely Hermanson.

Radio Broadcasting was directed by Gabe Twedt. "KOST" participants include Kiersten Benson, Lillian Grouws, Nils Holkesvik, Amanda Kuehner, Jenna Lundtvedt, Payton Schutte, and Anna Tallier. "KART participants include Morgan Dlhy, Alysa Hanson, Kaya Hines, Abby Moen, Mara Pankow, Allison Pavlovec, Tate Schissel, and Payton Taylor.

Short Film "224" was directed by Molly Holkesvik. Participants include Koryn Bakken, Katie Bjergum, Anna Blaess, Cai Brevig, Fiona Buresh, Brielle Buresh, Braden Elton, Edwin Holyoake, MiKenna Martin, AJ Morrow, Kalea Oftedahl, Grace Robison, and Samantha See.

Short Film "#dearfuture" was also directed by Molly Holkesvik. Participants include Rachel Bower, Morgan Brauer, Hallie Busta, Annika Franzen, Abby Halverson, Cole Huebner, Lauren Johnson, Ellie Luzum, Simon Mumford, Mya Numedahl, Isaac Roberts, Clara Rooney, Ashley Schneberger, Grace Thompson, and Luke Walter.

Two DHS varsity speech groups received Division II ratings at state contest. Cast lists for these groups are as follows:

Group Improvisation "Group Two" was directed by student Tyler Irwin. Participants include Gabe Anderson, Jay Fjelstul, Kaya Hougen, Simon Mumford, and Matthew Smith.

Ensemble Acting "Five Women Wearing the Same Dress" was directed by Carrie Kauffman. Participants include Kaya Hougen, Mikiah Krieg, Danielle Lundtvedt, Anja Madsen, and Greta Ransom.

All four DHS 9th grade speech groups received Division I Ratings at state contest. Cast lists for these groups are as follows:

Reader's Theater "Macadamia Mayhem or How the Nut Cracked" was directed by

Gabe Twedt and Carrie Kauffman. Participants include Rebecca Anderson, Junior Battle, Casey Brickley, Sophia Christman, Ella Grouws, Alex Kane, Franklin Lesmeister, Ada Lovelace, Jake Magner, Ethan Stravers, and Max Wilson.

TV News "Impact: Reconstructing the American Justice System" was directed by Molly Holkesvik. Participants include Rebecca Anderson, Sophia Christman, Ella Grouws, Alex Kane, Brinley Krivachek, Jake Magner, Grace Neal, Kortni O'Connell, Bekah Pedlar, Annalise Skrade, Daniel Skrade, and Ethan Stravers.

Short Film "Grit" was directed by Molly Holkesvik. Participants include Julia Alberts, Casey Brickley, Leslie Campbell, Amelia Dugger, Ming Kester, Brinley Krivachek, Morgan Moen, Kortni O'Connell, Ellen Rooney, Evan Rowley, Hannah Schnitzler, Gareth Sweet, and Max Wilson.

Choral Reading "Rise Up" was directed by Molly Holkesvik. Participants include Julia Alberts, Rebecca Bruening, Leslie Campbell, Chloe Chyle, Jenna Hartz, Sally Laybourn, Britann Mettille, Morgan Moen, Grace Neal, Kailyn O'Gara, Mya Redenius, Ellen Rooney, Thea Schissel, and Julia Schwartz.