Speech team preps for a dynamic season

From mime and one-act plays to readers’ theater and improv, the WHS speech team has a ton to offer. From the very beginning coaches and students, all come together to find scripts and begin preparing. One of the coaches, Mr. Jorgensen, said the audition process matches students with the best events for them. “Mrs. Pleggenkuhle [head speech team coach] will watch the auditions and place people in groups largely dependent on their schedules,” he explained, “then, based on that, the individual coaches for the different events will take the students and find pieces that best fit their skill set,” and once their script is decided it’s time to begin rehearsing! 

Last year was what Mr. Jorgensen considered a “rebuilding year.” After the split of the high schools, there are now a lot more opportunities for students. In the speech team, you are allowed to have two events to perform but before we split, there was a very high number of competitors and we simply couldn’t allow people to have more than one. Now that we have split it is almost guaranteed that students will have the opportunity to compete in two events. This also means that a lot more students are able to perform!

It is often thought that the speech team is all about giving speeches, but it is so much more than that! Ms. Lenstra, another coach said, “Only three to four categories really give formal speeches, it is more about the acting and performance piece.” Throughout all the categories you can find anything you enjoy. 

A speech team isn’t just one team that competes together, but many small groups and even individuals all doing a different thing. Individuals can do poetry, prose, lit program, storytelling, musical theater, original oratory, spontaneous speaking, expository address, and public address, and improv. Small groups can do one-act plays, readers theater, choral reading, ensemble acting, television newscasting, radio news broadcasting, improvisational acting, short film, group and solo mime, and musical theater. There is almost a 100% guarantee that you will find something you enjoy. “For large groups this year I’m competing in Reader’s Theatre and Radio Broadcasting,” Sophomore Beverly Zheng said.

This year WHS has the fantastic opportunity to host this year’s state contest. In speech team you start off at the district competition then once you move on from that you move to the state. After the state is the all-state competition. So this year we are going to be hosting the middle competition. “On a cold Saturday in February, we are going to be bringing schools from all across the southwest district to our school for a day of performances,” Mr. Jorgensen said. “We will put together a big team of volunteers, students, and parents alike. We will have to get food together. We will worry about parking, and so much more.”

The speech team really is for everyone and a great opportunity to get out there. Anybody can do it, and it’s so much fun! “It is a really fun thing because you can collaborate with people to create such a great piece and there are so many categories for everyone to do,” sophomore James Bohnenkamp said.

Although the large group events are already underway, students interested in speech can get involved with individual events. Find out more by viewing the IHSSA Event Description and contacting head coach Mrs. Pleggenkuhle at jpleggenkuhle@waukeeschools.org.