They might not be able to walk the walk...
but the LDNE Speech Team can sure talk the talk!
by Corey Friedli
February 05, 2008
On January 19th the Lyons-Decatur Northeast Speech team traveled to North Bend Central for the first speech meet of the season. The team did very well, placing 4th out of 17 teams. There were many students who made finals placing in the top six. Two students had the distinction of placing 1st at the meet, Steele Valenzuela and Jimmy Simpson placed in Duet Acting with their duet Scorned. Simpson also received 1st place in Serious Prose with his piece Grief Struck. Other placers were Sariah Harlan who received 5th in Poetry with her piece Elegies, Jessica O'Connor received 6th in Humorous Prose with Cheering My Way Into College, Tia Messier and Ruth Weiland received 6th place in Duet Action with Stop Talking, Eric Miller placed 6th with his Informative on Wind Power, and freshman Angel Fehrer received 6th place in JV Informative with a speech on Serial Killers.
Next, the Northeast Speech team went to Logan View on January 26th. The team placed 3rd only behind Omaha-Brownell Talbot (2007 Class C2 State Speech Champions) and Blair (Class B). Simpson and Valenzuela received 1st place in Duet Acting, Simpson also placed 3rd in Serious Prose. Fehrer received 4th place in JV Informative, and Megan Malloy also placed 4th in Extemporaneous Speaking. Five speech members received 6th place: O'Connor in Humorous Prose, Harlan in Poetry, Messier and Weiland in Duet, and Corey Friedli with a Persuasive piece on Super Bugs.
Finally, Lyons-Decatur hosted their own speech triangular with Logan View and Fort Calhoun High Schools. Northeast did very well, having five 1st place finishes: Simpson and Valenzuela in Duet Acting, Simpson in Serious Prose, O'Connor in Humorous Prose, Courtney Beacom in Extempt, and Friedli in Persuasive. Four members placed 2nd: Harlan in Poetry, Messier in Serious Prose, Malloy in Extempt, and Valenzuela with an Entertainment on Lying. Two events placed 3rd including Fehrer in Informative speaking and Messier and Weiland in Duet Acting. And senior Danielle King placed 4th with her poetry on Cowboys.
The Lyons-Decatur Northeast Speech team has one regular speech meet left at West-Point Beemer on February 16th. After that, Northeast goes to Conference competition at Wisner-Pilger High School on February 23rd and Districts on March 11th in Bancroft-Rosalie. Northeast will also be hosting a Fine Arts Night where the public can come watch all speeches before districts. This night is tentatively scheduled for February 26th.
