A single judge evaluated each performance, awarding students a rating on a scale of 1-4 as well as offering a written critique so students can work on refining their performances should they receive the highest rating that advances them to State.

Five students earned I’s in multiple events at the district competition:

• Senior Keirra McFadden in both Spontaneous Speaking and her Expository Address entitled “#MeToo.”

• Junior Lacoda Collier in Improvisation and Solo Musical Theatre with his song “Today for You” from the Broadway musical RENT.

• Junior Amber Lozier in Prose performing a self-written piece entitled “Set in Stone” and in  Literary Program performing the self-written prose selections “Stars in our Hearts” and “Sailing Above the Stars” as well as the poems “We Almost Collided,”  “Bruised,” & “A Child of the Universe”by Nikita Gill.

• Sophomore Catherine Pollard in Original Oratory with a piece about the impacts of child separation policies and Reviewing for her review of the movie The Hate U Give.

• Freshman Jason Prazak in Improvisation and in Literary Program for his interpretation of the short story “The Crossing” by T.A. Barron and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “Excelsior.”

We are very proud of these individuals as it is a remarkable achievement for a student to qualify in both events in which they competed.

Thirteen other performances also earned I’s at the district competition:

• Caitlin Alber (9) in Expository Address with her speech on M&M’s

• Carlee Carpenter (10) in Acting performing the piece Crafty by Paul Rudnik

• Cassidy Hasstedt (10) in Prose interpreting the short story “Dance of the Chicken Feet” by Bailey White

• Frorence Mtimukeye (10) in Original Oratory with her speech entitled “Normal is Wack”

• Regan Peter (10) in Expository Address with her speech on organ donation

• Alyssa Pierce (10) in Original Oratory with her speech about being raised in a single parent household

• Akela Salter (10) in Poetry Interpretation with Shel Silverstein’s poems “The Search,” “Silver Fish,” “Alice,” and “The Little Blue Engine.”

• Danielle Lozier (11) in Prose interpreting a self-written story entitled “I’ll Ask You One More Time”

• Margaret Van Dyke (11) in Public Address with her interpretation of J.K. Rowling’s 2008 Harvard Commencement Address.

• John Ben Bloem (12) in Reviewing for his speech about the album American IV: The Man Comes Around by Johnny Cash.

• Alyssa Kastenschmidt (12) in Spontaneous Speaking

• Alaney Parker (12) in Solo Musical Theatre performing “History of Wrong Guys” from the Broadway musical Kinky Boots

• Emma Runestad (12) in Radio News Broadcasting

Also participating in districts were freshmen Khloi Bird, Chloey Davidson, Kalie Melton, Ian Thompson; sophomore Elinor Wojcik; and junior Nicole Lozier.

Students will now have two weeks to prepare for the State tournament, which will be held on March 9th at Nevada High School.

(contributed article, BCSD Speech)