Decorah High School students participated in the Northeast State Large Group Speech Contest hosted at Dubuque Senior High School on February 3. Judges at the state contest selected 16 of Decorah High School performances as outstanding, tying the school record. These performances are honored with the coveted All-State Speech nomination to be part of the All-State Speech Festival, which will include performances by the best speech students from across the state of Iowa. 

Twelve of the Decorah High School groups nominated will perform at the festival on February 17 at Iowa State University. More information about the festival, including a schedule, can be found at https://www.ihssa.org/contests/large-group/all-state/.

Being designated a non-performing group at All-State is as special of an honor as performing; however, scheduling limitations prevent all nominees from performing.

DHS speech students are coached by Molly Holkesvik, Gabriel Twedt, Carrie Kauffman, Rachel Breitenbach-Dirks, Lyra McKnight, and Annika Krieg.

The directors remarked, “We are thrilled with the results of these All-State nominations. Our students worked hard, performed well, and supported one another passionately throughout the season. We are a part of a very competitive region of the state, which makes these nominations even more meaningful. We look forward to celebrating all of our nominees at the festival next weekend.”

DHS speech groups nominated as an All-State Honoree include two choral readings, one ensemble acting, two group improvs, one group mime, two solo mimes, two musical theaters, one radio broadcasting, a readers theater, three television newscasting, and a one-act play. 

Cast lists for those groups performing are as follows:

Choral Reading “The Eras of Taylor Swift” was directed by Molly Holkesvik and Annika Krieg.

Participants include Alex McGohan, Julia Severtson, Lexy Walker, Paige Wrightsman, Hannah Arendt, Natalie Goodner, Kaylie Wemark, Caden Branum, Bethany Hanson, Evon Leitz, Nathan Swarbrick, Liz Pritchard, Grace Blikre, and Caleb Johnson.

9th grade Choral Reading “Walt’s Guide to a Happily Ever After” was directed by Molly Holkesvik and Annika Krieg.

Participants include Lulu Bellrichard, Thatcher Brown, Clarence Nimrod, Lawrence Christman, Emma Cline, Ava Hanson, Naomi Kutz, Myla Leitz, Jayden Lundtvedt, Carter Riley, Oliva Rissman, Isis Timm, and Jillian Volz.

Group Improv was directed by Molly Holkesvik, Rachel Breitenbach-Dirks, and Lyra McKnight. 

Group One: Anders Lovstuen, Henry Weis, Oliver Brummel, and Beau Newhouse

Group Two: Joe Stammeyer, Tommy Hammel, and Jack Sovern

Solo Mime “Midnight Madness” by Jensen Korsness was directed by Molly Holkesvik, Gabriel Twedt, and Carrie Kauffman.

Solo Mime “Magnificent Malvolio’s Mishaps” by Nat Roberts was directed by Molly Holkesvik, Gabriel Twedt, and Carrie Kauffman.

Musical Theater “Tick, Tick…Boom” was directed by Gabriel Twedt and Carrie Kauffman.

Participants include Connor Evelsizer, Bethany Hanson, Ezra Vorvick, Libby Phillips, Hayley Stowe, Oliver Brummel, Gwen Thompson, and Lucas Hanson.

Radio Broadcasting “KWAK” was directed by Gabriel Twedt and Carrie Kauffman. 

Participants include Tommy Hammel, Camryn Holland, Lily Sandhorst, Addison Wicklund, Alex McGohan, Hannah Arendt, and Jerald Thompson.

Readers Theater “The House in the Cerulean Sea” was directed by Gabriel Twedt and Carrie Kauffman. 

Participants include Sydney Kipp, Abbie Valkosky, Henry Weis, Greta Jones, Annika Keefe, Nora Lesmeister, Davis Coppola, Ansel Kowitz, McKenzie Riley, Mikayla Hiner, Jameson LaBelle, Klara Kelly, Luke Arendt, and Elliana Brodbeck.

Television Newscasting “Close Encounters: Strangers from Space” was directed by Molly Holkesvik and Gabriel Twedt. 

Participants include Naomi Pedlar, Caden Branum, Braunwyn Darrington, Simon Kutz, Brynn Storhoff, Nathan Swarbrick, Sam Cline, Peter Essa, Gwen Thompson, Eily Hegdahl, Liz Pritchard, Paige Wrightsman, Mara Branum, and Natalie Goodner.

Television Newscasting “Breaking Barriers: The Rise of Girls Wrestling” was directed by Molly Holkesvik and Gabriel Twedt.

Participants include Jack Sovern, Kamryn Steines, Will Robinson, Beau Newhouse, Annaleissa Arnold, Karmyn Bakken, Grant Zilka, Jensen Korsness, Naomi Simon, Ana Simon, Leah Holland, Kelby Kerndt, and Lauren Luzum.

One Act Play “She Kills Monsters” was directed by Rachel Breitenbach-Dirks and Gabriel Twedt.

Participants include Kathryn Kelly, Elliana Brodbeck, McKenzie Riley, Ezra Vorvick, Gabriel Hiner, Libby Phillips, Julia Severtson, Hayley Stowe, Annika Keefe, Andy Kruger, June Breitenbach-Dirks, Nora Lesmeister, Kaylie Wemark, and Cody Carolan.

The following have been selected as outstanding non-performing at the All-State Festival:

Ensemble Acting “The Day the Internet Died” was directed by Rachel Breitenbach-Dirks.

Participants include Davis Coppola, Karmyn Bakken, Kathryn Kelly, Klaara Short, Liam Chamberlain, and Lucas Hanson.

Group Mime “Night at the Art Museum” was directed by Rachel Breitenbach-Dirks and Lyra McKnight.

Participants include Brynn Storhoff, Kathleen Delphey, Anopa Mtisi, Evynne Downing, Camryn Holland, and Ariana Albert.

Musical Theater “Newsies” was directed by Gabriel Twedt and Carrie Kauffman.

Participants include Mikayla Hiner, Jameson LaBelle, Caleb Johnson, Andy Krueger, Abbie Valkosky, Gabriel Hiner, June Breitenbach-Dirks, and Elsa Christman.

9th grade Television Newscasting “Iowa Roots: Indigenous Heritage” was directed by Molly Holkesvik and Gabriel Twedt. 

Participants include Lulu Bellrichard, Thatcher Brown, Sawyer Courtney, Thomas Davis, Ava Hanson, Kaelyn Kuhn, Clarence Nimrod, Kyan Oftedahl, Carter Riley, Oliver Rissman, Nina Sessions, Oskar Swanson, Claire Storhoff, and Colin Thompson.

Photo ID: Eras of Taylor Swift Choral Reading

Front Row (l-r): Kaylie Wemark, Hannah Arendt, Julia Severtson, Grace Blikre, Caleb Johnson, and Lexy Walker

Back Row (l-r): Natalie Goodner, Paige Wrightsman, Evon Leitz, Liz Pritchard, Caden Branum, Alex McGohan, Nathan Swarbrick, and Coach Molly Holkesvik

Missing from photo: Bethany Hanson and Coach Annika Krieg

Photo ID: 9th grade Choral Reading: Walt’s Guide to a Happily Ever After

Front Row (l-r): Coach Molly Holkesvik, Isis Timm, Naomi Kutz, Jayden Lundtvedt, Emma Cline, Jillian Volz, and coach Annika Krieg

Back Row (l-r): Ava Hanson, Oliva Rissman, Lawrence Christman, Clarence Nimrod, Carter Riley, Thatcher Brown, Lulu Bellrichard, Myla Leitz