All-state speech winners look to future of performing arts

Mid-Prairie High School students Terra Richardson and Kyra Helmuth were nominated for the Iowa High School Speech Association all-state honors after performances last Friday.

The two are looking to the future of performing arts with uncertainty due to COVID-19.

'[Speech] is kind of the only thing that has managed to survive quarantine,” Richardson said. 'It is nice to still have something to do.”

Richardson, an incoming junior, was honored for her solo acting performance, 'Dear Harvard,” a performance she wrote herself.

Helmuth, who will be a senior, was honored for her solo musical theater performance, 'I'm Breaking Down.” She also was honored for her solo acting performance, 'Almost Married,” a script she wrote herself.

The competition on July 17 followed social distancing guidelines as well as sanitizing measures, said Mid-Prairie High speech coach Christine Meader. It had originally been scheduled for March 14 but was postponed due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus.

'We put into practice guidelines to keep everybody safe from COVID-19,” Meader said.

All attendees wore masks except for the performer on stage, Meader said. Judges were kept a distance from performers.

Students who received an overall 1 or superior rating for their events include:

' Olivia Casey – musical theater and solo acting.

' Elizabeth Meader – storytelling.

' Trevor Nida – interpretive reading prose.

' Terra Richardson – after-dinner speaking and solo acting.

' Emily Marner – spontaneous speaking and solo improvisation.

' Marina Richardson – storytelling.

' Gavin Frascht – musical theater.

' Avery Frede – solo improvisation.

' Danielle Brown – interpretive reading poetry.

' Kyra Helmuth – solo acting and musical theater.

Speech is one the performing arts programs that experienced change due to COVID-19. Mid-Prairie typically hosts a fall musical and spring play for students; however, the spring 2020 play has been pushed to the fall. Both Richardson and Helmuth are planning to participate in the 'Three Fairy Godmothers” play in the fall, upon returning to school.

Assistant Coach Natalie Silbaugh said that she was proud to watch her students succeed this past weekend.

'I wasn't surprised,” Silbaugh said. 'What it takes to get to this point is constant practice and constant rethinking. They are very adapatable.”

Meader said the performers were able to keep performances 'fresh” despite their competition being postponed since March.

For Helmuth, she still hopes to pursue a career in performing arts after graduating in the spring. Her inspiration to perform and create speeches comes from her day-to-day life.

'[My inspiration comes from] a conversation I have had with some, or a small experience - then I make it super overdramatic,” Helmuth said.