By Melanie Stegner

Reporter

Minnewaska Area High School students have the opportunity to participate in Speech. Speech is an activity that is standardized under the MSHSL umbrella. Students prepare and refine speeches and perform them throughout the year. There are several categories which require a different set of skills. 

Most speech categories are individual events, but there are a few that are done in pairs or more. According to the MSHSL Duo Interpretation is the option. In Duo Interpretation two students memorize interpretation of a published work that lasts around 8 minutes. The only props they can use are a table and two chairs. 

There are many individual events. Some of the categories in the individual events are Creative Expression, Dramatic Interpretation, Extemporaneous Reading, Extemporaneous Speaking, Humorous Interpretation, Informative Speaking, Original Oratory, Poetry, Prose and Storytelling. 

Creative Expression is the performance of material written by the student. The student is given 10 minutes to present the speech. It can be serious, humorous or both. 

In Extemporaneous Reading students draw a slip containing the piece they are supposed to recite based on a selection of several pieces chosen by the MSHSL. The piece may be poetry, prose or stories. 

Extemporaneous Speaking is an original synthesis of current fact and opinion on a topic drawn by the student. Topics can be either international or domestic. Subjects for this kind of speech are drawn in the fall by MSHSL who then publish them so students can prepare. Thirty minutes prior to the contest begins, students draw a slip with a question regarding the topics previously given by the MSHSL. They then have thirty minutes to prepare their speech. They can consult published books, magazines, newspapers, journals and reputable online sources.

Humorous interpretation features a student interpreting a selection from published literature with the intent to amuse the audience. Informative Speaking is an event in which the student presents an original informative composition in an effort to present information that the audience may or may not possess and that the student believes is important.

Original Oratory is a persuasive speech that is prepared by the student. Poetry features a student performing a selection of published poetry. Much the same as Prose. In Storytelling, students are recreating a story in their own words with emphasis on a direct conversational style and spontaneous bodily action. Fifteen stories are announced in the fall of each year and the students draw from the fifteen stories thirty minutes before the contest begins.

The Minnewaska Area Speech team recently participated at a meet in Morris and took home second place as a team. Individual winners were Ethan Eliason in Creative Expression, First Place; Jacob Woo in Drama, Sixth Place; Ethan Eliason and Grayson Olson, Duo Interpretation, second place; Jeff Peterson and Kaydence Middendorf in Duo Interpretation, sixth place; Grayson Olson in Extemporaneous Reading, sixth place; Ally Hall in Extemporaneous Speaking, third place; Ethan Eliason in Humorous, second place; Alyssa Pederson in Humorous, third place; Jenna Detko in Humorous, sixth place; Sophia Hanson in Informative, second place; Maria Heidelberger in Informative, fourth place; Abby Peterson in Informative, sixth place; Owen Armstrong in Original Oratory, second place; Kaydence Middendorf in Poetry, first place; Sophia Hanson in Prose, first place; Milah Hall in Prose, sixth place and Reese Randleman in Storytelling, sixth place. 

The Minnewaska Speech team also competed in Sauk Rapids March 2. Minnewaska will be hosting subsection speech on April 5. State competition takes place at the end of April.