Decorah High School’s individual speech participants—coached by Molly Holkesvik, Gabriel Twedt, Carrie Kauffman, Rachel Breitenbach-Dirks, Lyra McKnight, and Annika Krieg—competed Saturday, March 9th, at Hampton-Dumont High School. Out of Decorah’s 58 performances, 50 received I (excellent) ratings.

On Monday, March 11th, the following 14 Decorah students were selected as All-State performers for the Individual All-State Festival, which will be held at the University of Northern Iowa on Monday, March 25th.

Alex McGohan: Public Address 

Anders Lovstuen: Radio News Announcing 

Andy Kruger: After Dinner Speaking 

Caleb Johnson: Improvisational Acting 

Corina Timm: Spontaneous Speaking 

Ezra Vorvick: After Dinner Speaking 

Hayley Stowe: Acting 

Jensen Korsness: Reviewing 

June Breitenbach-Dirks: Solo Musical Theatre 

Libby Phillips: Solo Musical Theatre 

Lucas Hanson: Expository Address

Mikayla Hiner: Acting 

Natalie Goodner: Expository Address 

Simon Kutz: Radio News Announcing (Kutz has been named to the Individual All-State Festival in this category all four years of high school)

Results for Decorah State Speech Performers Grades 10-12

Receiving a I (excellent) rating:

Original Oratory: Kamryn Steines, Braunwyn Darrington, Klara Kelly

Public Address: Alex McGohan, Grace Blikre

Expository Address: Natalie Goodner, Lucas Hanson, Lily Sandhorst

Storytelling: Brynn Storhoff

Prose: Evynne Downing, Klaara Short, Luke Arendt

Poetry: Kathryn Kelly, Spencer Rix, Davis Coppola

Review: Bethany Hanson, Jensen Korsness, Elliana Brodbeck

Literature Program: Hannah Arendt, Evon Leitz

Solo Musical: Libby Phillips, Gwen Thompson, June Breitenbach-Dirks

Acting: Hayley Stowe, Julia Severtson, Mikayla Hiner

After Dinner Speaking: Greta Jones, Andy Kruger, Ezra Vorvick

Spontaneous Speaking: Gabriel Hiner, Corina Timm, Nat Roberts

Radio News: Simon Kutz, Anders Lovstuen

Individual Improv: Joe Stammeyer, Caleb Johnson

Receiving a II (good) rating:

Public Address: Faith Meyer

Literary Program: Annika Keefe

Results for Decorah State Speech Performers Grade 9

Receiving a I (excellent) rating:

Public Address: Thomas Davis

Prose: Grace Stockman, Emma Cline

Poetry: Grace Stockman

Review: Emma Cline

Solo Musical: Noah Potvin, Vivian Searcy, Colin Thompson

Acting: Margaret Hahn, Jillian Volz

After Dinner Speaking: Spencer Christensen, Noah Potvin, Olivia Volkmann

Radio News: Olivia Rissman

Receiving a II (good) rating:

Original Oratory: Ava Hanson

Radio News: Oskar Swanson

Storytelling: Isis Timm, Teagan Menke

Expository Address: Colin Thompson

Individual Improv: Thomas Davis

The coaches shared, “We are incredibly proud of our students. They continue to give great performances backed by hard work, talent, and focus. It has been a great season for our Decorah speech students.”

Coach Molly Holkesvik with Lucas Hanson, All-State in Expository Address

Coach Rachel Breitenbach-Dirks with Ezra Vorvick, All-State in After Dinner Speaking

Alex McGohan, All-State in Public Address with Coach Lyra McKnight

State Speech Participants Grace Blikre,  Kamryn Steines, and  Lily Sandhorst

State Speech Participants Spencer Rix, Braunwyn Darrington , Bethany Hanson, Evynne Downing, and Coach Molly Holkesvik