It’s been a record-breaking school year for the Mid-Prairie High School Speech Team.

The Iowa High School Speech Association (IHSSA) awarded All-State nominations for individual speech performers on Wednesday including honors for four Mid-Prairie students. Senior Kyra Helmuth was named All-State in solo musical theatre and solo acting for a piece she wrote as well as performed. Senior Elizabeth Meader also received two All-State honors for storytelling and interpretive reading, prose. All-State recognition also goes to senior Emily Marner for solo musical theatre and freshman Avery Slaubaugh for interpretive reading prose.

The individual All-State speech nominations combined with two All-State group performances in February, Mid-Prairie established a new team record of eight total All-State honors in one school year. Helmuth also established a new individual school record for All-State speech honors. She has made All-State nine times in her high school career between individual and group events, breaking and surpassing the former record of six nominations.

Other students in the Southeast District to earn All-State individual speech honors include Kyle Zaruba of Lone Tree, Mac White of New London, Griffin Humphreys and Dane Sweezer of Winfield-Mount Union, Wyatt Witham of Fairfield, Lydia Fisher and Matthew Peterson of Wapello, and double-nominated Julie Sosa of Columbus Community.

Due to Covid-19, there will be no IHSSA All-State Festival at UNI in Cedar Falls this year.

*Photo from L: Emily Marner (Solo Musical Theatre) Elizabeth Meader (Storytelling and Interpretive Reading Prose) Kyra Helmuth (Solo Musical Theatre and Solo Acting) and Avery Slaubaugh (Interpretive Reading Prose) on the screen.