Mid-Prairie is advancing 14 students in seven categories to the Iowa High School Speech Association (IHSSA) State Large Group Speech Contest next month.

Mid-Prairie hired a certified IHSSA judge to rate their district performances Friday night in Wellman. Overall one or superior ratings were needed to advance to state and the Golden Hawks qualified with group improv, readers theatre, two musical theatre and three ensemble acting performances.

Students advancing to state include Haydon Bailey, Alexander and Christopher Burnham, Olivia Caskey, Gavin Frascht, Avery Frede, Kelby Gingerich, Magnolia Graber, Samuel Harris, Kyra Helmuth, Elizabeth Meader, Emily Marner, Terra Richardson and Avery Schlabaugh.

Speech coach Christy Meader says getting ready for competition wasn’t always easy during the pandemic, “We’ve been masked for all practices, so for people who require a lot of breaths for their performances like musical theatre, and even with ensemble acting, it’s a little bit of a challenge to get that big breath drawn and get the volume and projection out that they need. So the masks have been a challenge, but otherwise the general attitude is they’re really grateful to perform and have this contest and have this season.”