News : VSHS speech students competed at State Large Group Contest

Alex Springer rehearses his 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' State Speech mime act in Mr. Upmeyer's room.

Le Cox holds the timer while the improv group rehearses.

Rylie, Wes and Kelsey discuss how to perform their improv act during practice.

This improv act was about building a treehouse.

Kelsey Mahood and Rylie Pflughaupt work on their facial expressions during their mime rehearsal.

They performed last year's State Speech mime at Party in the Park; Kelsey & Rylie work on '11 act.

Alex Springer was Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Kelsey Mahood and Rylie Pflughaupt teamed up again for a mime act.

Several other VHS students worked hard for months to prepare their acts for the contest in Cedar Rapids tomorrow.

VSHS speech teachers Eric Upmeyer and Le Cox have spent the past several weeks, coaching the students, preparing them for the judges.

Vinton-Shellsburg speech contestants woke up early Saturday morning to get on the 6:15 bus to Cedar Rapids, where they spent the day at the State Large Group Speech Contest at Kennedy High School.

This year, VSHS entries in the contest included three group improv routines, two musical theater acts (performing songs from ‘Legally Blonde” and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”), a solo mime by Alex Springer, a group mime by Rylie Pflughaupt and Kelsey Mahood, and a one-act play.

For the improv (improvisation) acts, the groups are given a topic, and then have two minutes to prepare a three-minute skit. They are judged by their ability to create a story that has a beginning, middle and end, as well as their originality.

This year’s contestants from VSHS include: Greg Blind, Emma Clingman, Katherine Dick, Kyle Hanson, Emma Horst, Emma Lippmann, Bailey Lyons, Wes Lyons, Kelsey Mahood, Annie Meyer, Liz Moen, Tess Noeller, Luke Owens, Alexis Peterson, Rylie Pflughaupt, Danisha Pladsen, Alex Springer, Maddie Springer, Nikki Thompson and Alysha Wehage.