Speech team students place at area tournaments

Three Perham Jacket Speech Team students received bids when the team competed in two tournaments in Marshall and Fergus Falls Jan. 24 and 25. Olivia McNair and Oakley McNair received one for Duo Interpretation at the Marshall event and Mattea Steeke received one for Informative Speaking at the Fergus Falls event.

Throughout the season, students who hope to qualify for the National Individual Events Tournament of Champions tournament in Houston in May must receive two bids to compete. A bid is earned based on the number of competitors in a qualifying category and the final placing of the competitor, according to a Perham-Dent Public Schools news release. The team's next opportunity to receive a bid will be Feb. 22 at the Moorhead Spud Speech Invitational.

The two-day event included over 670 speakers from 29 schools in three states. Marshall recognizes A (small) and AA (big) schools in team sweeps. Perham placed first in the A schools and 12th overall.

Competitors: Lily Aakre, Andrew Jacobson, Jack Anderson, Aaron Mycke, Titus Mycke/Ethan Siira, Brooke Germain/Megan Pettow, Olivia McNair/Oakley McNair, Grace Kalina, Kaylee Baumgart, Coltan Myers, Emily Kirchenwitz, Paige Rourke, Dannika George, Kira Johnson, Lauren Schreader, Lizzie Sazama and Crisavy Seeman.

Quarter-finalists (top 24 in the category):

• Discussion: Andrew Jacobson, Jack Anderson
• Duo Interpretation: Titus Mycke/Ethan Siira, Brooke Germain/Megan Pettow, Olivia McNair/Oakley McNair
  
• Extemporaneous Reading: Grace Kalina
• Prose Reading: Lauren Schreader
• Poetry Reading: Dannika George

Semi-finalists (top 12 in the category):

• Discussion: Andrew Jacobson
• Duo Interpretation: Olivia McNair/Oakley McNair
• Extemporaneous Reading: Grace Kalina

Finalists (top 6 in the category):

• Discussion: Andrew Jacobson (6th)

Perham placed eighth overall. Competitors: Jaxon Bain, Debra Cribb, Lizzie Dale, Brynn Greisen, Andrea Guajardo, PJ Johnson, Josh Kalina, Adrian Lamb, Addison Lowell, Fallon Lowell, Isaac Paurus, Anya Roe, Haven Roth, Lauryn Rustad, Sadie Shippee, Reid Starzl, Mattea Steeke, Katherine Ternus, Aspen Thiel and Emily Welte.

Finals (top 6):

• Extemporaneous Reading: Lizzie Dale (3rd)
• Dramatic Interpretation: PJ Johnson (3rd)
• Prose Reading: Anya Roe (6th)
• Duo Interpretation: Mattea Steeke/Lizzie Dale (5th)
• Great Speeches: Brynn Greisen (1st)
• Informative Speaking: Mattea Steeke (3rd)

Honors (next in-top 12):

• Discussion: Jaxon Bain (6th)
• Extemporaneous Reading: Emily Welte (3rd); Katherine Ternus (4th)
• Prose Reading: Haven Roth (4th)
• Poetry Reading: Fallon Lowell (6th)
• Informative Speaking: Adrian Lamb (4th)