Stanley High School Speech Season Underway
By Erika Littlefield,
MCP Intern
The Stanley High School Speech Team isn’t always in the spotlight, so you might be wondering… what exactly do they do? Well, speech is more than just talking in front of a crowd. It’s a competitive activity where students refine their public speaking and performance skills in a variety of categories. Some events focus on humor, others on drama, and some challenge students to think on their feet. Events include Radio Broadcasting, Humorous Duo, Serious Duo, Serious Prose, Humorous Prose, Dramatic Interpretation, Extemporaneous Programmed Reading (EPR), Entertain, Persuade, Poetry, Extemporaneous Speaking, Impromptu, and Inform. With so many options, students can find an event that plays to their strengths or pushes them outside their comfort zone.
The team is coached by Amanda Hinkle and Chase Glueckert and currently has 24 members, each bringing their own unique style and talent to the competition. At each meet, students can compete in up to two events, with each performance lasting around seven to eight minutes. Judges evaluate them on enunciation, vocal control, memorization, organization, movement, and transitions - every little detail matters when trying to make an impression.
Speech is more than just a competition; it builds skills that last a lifetime. Team member Laney Jackson sums it up best: “Speech promotes confidence, helps build communication skills, and allows students to be a part of a team that broadens their horizons and expands their social platforms.” Speech isn’t just about standing up and talking - it teaches students how to command a room, think critically, and communicate effectively. It also helps build friendships, as students interact with competitors from different schools, bonding over shared experiences and challenges.
But getting to the state competition isn’t easy. There are only two ways to qualify: by winning first place in a qualifying event (which must have at least eight competitors) or by placing in the top three at regionals. With tough competition across the state, it takes dedication, practice, and persistence to earn a spot at state.
Speech competitions also work a little differently than most activities. The rounds can go one of two ways. Either each competitor starts with two preliminary rounds, where they perform in front of different judges and against different groups of competitors. Based on their scores, some students qualify for finals, where they compete once more to determine their final placement. If they make it to the top eight, they get awarded a placing. Or, each competitor will go through three rounds and then at the very end, see if and where you placed during awards. This version of a meet is growing in popularity, due to it’s fast paced nature.
What really sets the Stanley Speech Team apart is its sense of community. The team operates more like a family than just a group of competitors. They practice every Wednesday, fine-tuning their performances with the help of their coaches, and spend most Saturdays traveling across North Dakota for meets. Their mornings start before the sun is even up, heading out to competitions that kick off at 8 a.m. The coaches are known for their brutal honesty when it comes to critiquing performances, but at the end of the day, they are the team’s biggest supporters. No matter how each student places, their coaches are always proud of the hard work, dedication, and growth they see throughout the season.
This past weekend, Stanley attended the New Town Meet where fifteen students placed in various events. Stanley has two more regular season competitions before they head to State at the end of April.
Though speech might not always get as much attention as other school activities, it’s a team that deserves recognition. It’s filled with students who are learning to use their voices - not just for competition, but to make an impact, now and in the future. The Stanley Speech Team proves that even in a small school, big talent can come from those willing to speak up and put in the work.