by Chance Palm

On Feb. 3, the PCM speech team got up at the dawn of day to travel all the way to Lin Maur High School in Cedar Rapids to compete in state speech. Those who scored well go the chance to move onto All-State Speech.

   The scores are given on a four-point scale, a Division I is for the best, and a Division IV is kept for disqualification. Also there are three judges opposed to one at State. Each judge gives a score independently. If a group receives all I’s then they are almost guaranteed a spot at All-State Speech.

   The PCM speech team sent two improvisation groups and one reader’s theater group. The first improvisation group that performed were juniors Madeline Buys, Payton Konek, Chance Palm, Jared Smith and Brendon Vanderpool. They received all II’s from the judges. Thus their roll onto All-State has been shut down.

   The next improv group to perform were juniors Carson Clark and Cade McCombs, sophomores Zoey Emmack and Madeline Ladehoff, and freshman Garin Padget, received two I’s and one II. Meaning that although they are not guaranteed a spot at All-State, however, they still have a chance.

      The reader’s theater group received a I and two II’s from the judges. In this group were seniors Madeline Mitchell, Sidney Metzger, Luke Kramer, juniors Clark, Konek, McCombs, Megan Van Haaftan, Alex Inskeep, Morgan Uhlenhopp, Mia Rouse, and Smith, and sophomores, Emmack, Blake VanderKamp, and Chloe Inskeep.

   Although this is probably the end of the road for the 2018 speech team, they still got to State, and the returning juniors, sophomores, and freshmen may be able to snatch an All-State spot next year.