Kee Large Group Speech competes at Districts, three teams advance to State ...
Kee High School’s Large Group Speech team participated in a smaller District Contest this past Saturday, January 23 at MFL/MarMac High School due to COVID-19 and new gathering guidelines that include the wearing of facemasks or shields. Competing against teams from the host school, three Kee speech teams earned advancement to the State level of competition scheduled to be held Saturday, February 6. Those three teams include the following:
Reader’s Theatre - “Power Play”: Macy Manning, Alexis Johnson, Jada Mitchell, Owen Henkes, Michael Mattson and Daniel Wagner
Solo Mime - “Magic Mania”: Lydia Strong
Improvisational Acting: Owen Henkes, Will Mooney, Michael Mattson, Luke Eiden and Ethan Rasque.
Kee Speech Coach Tammy Manning explained that in consideration of COVID-19 and gathering guidelines coordinated by the Iowa High School Speech Association (IHSSA), there were three options for this year’s district contest: Individual contest for an individual school only, face-to-face contest with no more than eight schools in the local area, or virtual where teams send a copy of the performance to a contest being held or to the State Association. All sites were to have a credible judge hired who then rated the teams and advanced any qualifying teams to a State level contest, which is scheduled to be held February 6 through the same options as listed above. Coach Manning says her three advancing teams will either compete in a smaller State contest to be held in Postville or will submit their performances virtually.
“As you can imagine, the challenges are definitely present with restrictions and quarantines, but we have managed to persevere through those challenges,” Coach Manning said. “I’m just so glad the students were given the opportunity to still have the large group season and perform. Right now, it has been just about staying connected, having some laughs as a group, and working towards a goal. I’m so proud of how this group of students continued to stay involved. As for the seniors, what a great group of role models for our school.”
Pictured in the submitted photo above are this year’s Kee Large Group Speech team members who competed at the January 23 District Contest in Monona. Left to right - Front row: Evie Clemments, Kylie Troendle, Evening Grahm, Faith Boland, Riley Troendle, Lydia Strong; Middle row: Phoenix Crass, Brooklyn Bakewell, Neva Peterson, Abby Wood, Cheyanne Troendle, Daniel Wagner, Luke Eiden; Back row: Coach Tammy Manning, Jada Mitchell, Alexis Johnson, Macy Manning, Michael Mattson, Owen Henkes, Will Mooney, Ethan Rasque, Ethan Schweitzer.
