Hemingford Public School District #10 Logo

2012 Western Trails Speech Meet Held in Hemingford

Gifted Area Student Speakers Abound

by Editor

Hemingford High School played host to the 2012 Western Trails Conference Speech Tournament on February 8^th. Seven schools were entered in the competition, including Bayard, Bridgeport, Gordon-Rushville, Mitchell, Morrill, and host Hemingford.

The 2012 Contest Director was Hemingford Speech Sponsor Judy Stewart, and she was assisted by Kathy Herstead, also of Hemingford. A special guest judge and tourney organizer was Mrs. Debra Velder, an activity director for the Nebraska School Activities Association, headquartered in Lincoln. Mrs. Velder is the Director of the Nebraska State Meet, held for all schools in Nebraska  at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

Students and sponsors competed throughout the day in one or more specific events, including Informative Speaking, Entertainment Speaking, Poetry, Oral Interpretation of Drama, Duet Acting, Humorous Prose, Serious Prose, Extemporaneous Speaking, and Persuasive Speaking.

There were multiple rounds held, with finals held for those that qualified in earlier rounds. Third place in the team standings went to Kimball, with Gordon-Rushville garnering team Runner-Up. For the eighth straight year, Bridgeport High School won the WTC Speech Championship. Chad Steele is the Speech sponsor at Bridgeport.

Duet Acting teams use space in the performing area as well as gestures and facial expressions to share their piece.

 

Top Six Placers in each event included:

• Informative Speaking –

Champion – Lindsay Milburn, Gordon-Rushville

2^nd – Kristin Fellhoelter, Bridgeport

3^rd – Jessica Strecker, Morrill

4^th – Courtney Hunsaker, Kimball

5^th – Kelicia Richter, Bridgeport

6^th – T.J. Starman, Hemingford

 

• Persuasive Speaking –

Champion – Jalee Pilkington, Bayard

2^nd – Laura Flores, Kimbal

3^rd – Janelle Kestersen, Bridgeport

4^th – Shae Lindsay, Gordon-Rushville

5^th – Jessica Sullivan, Bayard

6^th – Hans Hansen, Hemingford

 

• Entertainment Speaking –

Champion – Lindsay Milburn, Gordon- Rushville

2^nd – Shelby Anderson, Gordon-Rushville

3^rd- Miriam Ramirez, Bridgeport

4^th – Tessa Shaw, Kimball

5^th – Shae Lindsay, Gordon-Rushville

6^th – Connor Zimmer – Bridgeport

 

• Extemporaneous Speaking –

Champion – Hans Hansen, Hemingford

2^nd – Cole Katen, Gordon-Rushville

3^rd – James Neeley, Gordon-Rushville

4^th – Shannon Jones, Mitchell

5^th – Jeremy Julch, Bridgeport

6^th – Celeste Patty, Bayard

 

• Poetry –

Champion – Shelby Anderson, Gordon-Rushville

2^nd – Nik Chizek, Bridgeport

3^rd – Crystal Johnson, Bayard

4^th – Morgan Baker, Mitchell

5^th – Connor Zimmer, Bridgeport

6^th – Emma August, Gordon-Rushville

7^th – Kara Wiggins, Bridgeport

(an unbreakable tie for 6^th place existed)

 

• Duet Acting –

Champions – Nik Chizek and Norma Jean Reynoldson, Bridgeport

2^nd – Tegan Yardley and Lexi Olson, Hemingford

3^rd –Jamie Hansel and Tessa Shaw, Kimball

4^th – Connor Zimmer and Katie Hernandez, Bridgeport

5^th – Haylee Simpson and Matt Heng Martin, Kimball

6^th – Brent Vorse and Nate Jenkins, Mitchell

 

• Oral Interpretation of Drama –

Champions – Gordon – Rushville (Milburn and Co.)

2^nd – Bridgeport ( Reynoldson and Co.)

3^rd – Kimball (Hansel and Co.)

4^th – Kimball (Winters and Co.)

5^th – Bridgeport (Kesterson and Co.)

6^th – Hemingford (Brakensiek and Co.)

 

• Serious Prose –

Champion – Nick Chizek, Bridgeport

2^nd – Rachel Johns, Gordon-Rushville

3^rd – Katie Hernandez , Bridgeport

4^th – Ayra Vakoc, Morrill

5^th – Michael Barth, Gordon-Rushville

6^th – Alexis Smith, Mitchell

 

• Humorous Prose –

Champion – Kristin Fellhoelter, Bridgeport

2^nd – Michael Barth, Gordon-Rushville

3^rd – Lacy Trimble, Mitchell

4^th – Ben Simpson, Kimball

5^th – Janelle Kesterson, Bridgeport

6^th – Jodelle Schulte, Kimball

 

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS

Champions – Bridgeport

2^nd – Gordon-Rushville

3^rd – Kimball

4^th – Mitchell

5^th – Bayard

6^th – Hemingford

7^th - Morrill

Prior to their speeches, a group of “extempers” work hard to study the world topics they have drawn.

Hans Hansen of Hemingford is awarded the Gold Medal in Extemporaneous Speaking at the 2012 Western Trails Conference Speech Meet. Teammate Christian Brakensiek, a 2012 exchange student from Germany, presents Hans his medal.

    Poetry placers at the 2012 Western Trails Conference Speech Meet.

     Informative Speaking placers at the 2012 Western Trails Conference Speech Meet.

    Extemporaneous Speaking placers at the 2012 Western Trails Conference Speech Meet.

      Entertainment Speaking placers at the 2012 Western Trails Conference Speech Meet. 

  Persuasive Speaking placers at the 2012 Western Trails Conference Speech Meet.

   Serious Prose placers at the 2012 Western Trails Conference Speech Meet.

   Humorous Prose placers at the 2012 Western Trails Conference Speech Meet.

Oral Interpretation of Drama place-winners at the 2012 Western Trails Conference Speech Meet.

   Duet Acting Team placers at the 2012 Western Trails Conference Speech Meet.

    NSAA State Speech Coordinator and Meet Director Deb Velder, WTC meet Director 

    Judy Stewart, and conference team sponsors at work in the “tab room”.

Lindsay Milburn of Gordon-Rushville finishes her presentation in the finals at the 2012 WTC Speech meet held in Hemingford. She was the individual Champion in both Informative Speaking and Entertainment Speaking, and was a member of the Gordon-Rushville Champion Oral Interpretation of Drama Cast. Gordon-Rushville finished as Conference Runner-Up in the Western Trail Meet.

GREAT MEET EVERYONE! Thanks to the faculty members at HHS and to the young ladies and gentlemen of the WTC!