The Chesterton High
School Speech team competed at the Munster High School Speech Tournament
this past weekend. Thirteen schools competed at the tournament with the top
five schools receiving trophies.
The Chesterton team
placed second overall behind Plymouth High School. The students competed in
three preliminary rounds with the top six in each event advancing to a final
round. There was also an “honor final” where the students who were on the
verge of making the final round competed for seventh and eighth place.
Leading the team
was junior, Kasey O’Keefe who was the tournament runner up in both prose and
declamation. Following O’Keefe in declamation was senior, Mikaela Meyer who
placed fifth. Meyer also placed fourth in original oratory. Along with
Meyer, senior Layla Mooradian and junior Galen Wong placed fifth and sixth
respectively in original oratory. Mooradian and her partner, senior Liz
Green placed third in memorized duo, followed by the senior team of Jami
Ritchea and Justyn Lantz placing fifth. Ritchea also placed third in humor
followed by freshman, James VanDrie placing fourth, junior Lauren Hogan
placing seventh and junior Jacob Williger placing eighth. Williger placed
fifth in original performance followed by the senior team of Olivia
Dujmovich and Danny Vincent.
The scripted duo
team of sophomore Izzy Goodman and junior Carley Lowe placed sixth overall.
In broadcasting Chesterton had four of the top eight finishers. Leading the
event was sophomore, Eric Richardson who was the tournament runner up.
Richardson was followed by freshman Katrina Balon who placed third, senior
Nate Dickinson who placed fourth and junior Robert St.Pierre who placed
eighth.
In poetry,
sophomore Ellyn Winski placed eighth overall. In discussion, junior Savannah
Tipton placed fourth followed by sophomore Edward Young placing seventh. In
United States extemp, freshman Hayden Hodge placed seventh. In international
extemp, senior Andrew Caratini placed fifth overall.
The team had
several former students and parents assist coaches Eric Schaefer, Kirsten
Reed, Bob Kelly and Jessica Cleary in judging. Former students included;
Kayla Fleming, Sarah Gawel, and Sharon Coleman. Parents that aided in
judging were; Alice and James Meyer, Marcia Ritchea, Geri Brown, Lori and
James Vincent, and Nancy Hake.
“This weekend was a
turning point for our team. We are finally moving towards where we need to
be as we head into our heaviest competition of the season. The coaching
staff could not be more proud of the work the team is doing despite having
extremely busy academic and extra-curricular lives. The team’s success this
weekend was a joint effort by every student,” said coach Eric Schaefer.
The Chesterton team
will compete at the Fort Wayne Carroll High School tournament next weekend.