Trio of area students selected to perform at All-State Speech Festival March 27


Annelise Ellingson, Waukon High School, Musical Theatre

Isabelle Hammell, Kee High School, Poetry

Cadan Evanson, Kee High School, Radio News

Three area high school students have been selected as individual performers at the Iowa High School Speech Association (IHSSA) All-State Speech Festival being held Monday, March 27 on the University of Northern Iowa campus in Cedar Falls. The trio of students were selected based on their performances at the Northeast State Individual Speech Contest held Saturday, March 11 at Starmont High School.

Kee High School had two students selected for that honor, as Isabelle Hammell was chosen in the Poetry competition and Cadan Evanson was selected in the Radio News Announcing competition. In all, Kee High School had five students competing in eight events at that Northeast State Contest. In addition to Hammell and Evanson in their respective All-State selection categories, Evanson also received a “1” rating in the Prose category, as did Riley Troendle in both the Poetry and in the Prose competitions, and Brendan Jones in the Original Oratory and in the Literary competitions. Neva Peterson received a “2” rating in the Literary competition at that State Contest.

Waukon High School had one All-State selection emerge from that Northeast State Contest, as Annelise Ellingson was chosen for her Solo Musical Theatre performance entitled “The Ballad of Jane Doe” from the musical “Ride the Cyclone”. Ellingson was one of seven Waukon High School students competing in a total of 10 events at the Northeast State event, including Lanie Monk in the Expository Address competition, Olivia Marti in both Literature Program and in Poetry, Jay Aldrich in Prose, Ethan Hooten in Acting, Gabe Goettel in both Poetry and in Prose, and Caleb Perkins in both Musical Theatre and in Reviewing.