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VOLUME 51 ISSUE 13 1015 Division St. Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613
Speech team speaks out knowing that these students have the opportunity to improve their comStaff Writer munication and social skills through A packed school bus held cheering speech, and coaching allows me to Cedar Falls High School Speech Team watch the process,” Chizek said. members Saturday night after the Franke echoed Chizek and said she majority of their performances earned feels the speech team has many practiDivision I ratings at the district level cal benefits. “Speaking in front of a competition, granting them access to group and working as a team member the state competition. Eight of the 10 are challenging tasks but essential groups that competed will compete skills for many jobs in our society. again in Speech is a wonderDecoful venue for sturah on dents to practice this Feb. 5. objective,” Franke These said. “The creative groups process engages include students in critical readers’ thinktheater, ing and one act, commuradio nication news skills broadwhile — Karen Franke casting, Speech Coach strengthtwo ening acting group ensembles and three improvisation participation and self-religroups. ance. It is an honor to be a The seasonal process for the speech part of that.” 2. team is to first audition, then rehearse The team this year and finally compete at Districts, State is much different from and even the All-State level. There is last year’s team due to the one judge at Districts, and after seeing graduation of several strong members. the act, he or she assigns either a I, “For me, this year’s team is a younger II, III, or IV divisional rating. Groups team than last year’s team. However, receiving a Division I rating move on the enthusiasm for the events has to State while a Division IV rating is tripled. I have a great mix of new stua disqualification for rule violation. dents who see things with fresh eyes Any rating in between is subject to the and talented, experienced juniors and judge’s responses. seniors. It has been a great season so The coaches for the CFHS speech far,” Franke said. team are Rebecca Kauten, Karen Junior Austyn Claire has been Franke and Nicholas Chizek. involved in speech team for the past “The purpose of large group and three years. She was very excited to individual speech is to encourage perform in the one act production, students’ abilities and comfort levels Odds Are, this year. “I think everyone with public speaking and communicagets a little nervous before performing, tion skills. As students graduate, it is and sometimes that’s a good thing, but important they have adequate commuother than that, having been on speech nication skills for any job type. Speech team for a few years, I’ve gotten pretty is an outlet to practice in a creative comfortable getting up in front of an atmosphere,” Chizek said. audience,” Claire said. He enjoys coaching, he explained, Another returning speech team because he thrives on the “ah ha member, senior Samantha Heinen, said moment” where kids step out of the she felt very confident that the one act unknown into a state of good comwould receive a top rating. “We could munication and understanding. “I like
Maya Amjadi
“For me, this year’s
team is a younger team than last year’s team. However, the enthusiasm for the events has tripled.
3. 1.
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All Photo by Darby Sheehan
1) Senior Samantha Heinen prepares for her role in the choral reading of Euridice. 2) Freshman Noah Miller fixes his hair in preparation for the one-act play. 3) Freshman Carrson Morrissey gets into character as an fanatic magician in the one-act. still use bits of improvement, but over all, it is a very funny show, and the majority of the acting is phenomenal,” Heinen said. Regarding whether performing takes her out of her comfort zone, Heinen said, “Performing is my comfort zone.” Sophomore Evan Fairbanks competed in improvisation and received a Division I rating. For the improv category, contestants draw situations typed on pieces of paper. They have a small amount of time to assess the situation and determine various aspects such as characters, setting, beginning, middle and end. The contestant also have to perform within a time frame of five minutes. “The most difficult thing about improv is following all the rules and ending [the performance] on time. It’s like inertia — when you’re on a
roll, it’s hard to stop,” Fairbanks said. Along with the performances at the different levels, there will be a recital in the auditorium at Cedar Falls High School to showcase all the students’ work. This will be held Thursday, Feb. 3. “I would definitely encourage people to check out our shows. We work hard and have fun doing it, and I think people would enjoy watching any speech event performance. I’d also encourage students to try out. It’s really fun,” Claire said. Individual speech team tryouts will be held Jan. 24 and 25. Anyone is encouraged to show up. Individual categories up for auditioning include: acting, mime, interpretive reading — prose and poetry, musical theater, spontaneous speaking, storytelling, original oratory, after dinner speaking and literary program.