Speech Team

We are a high-school league activity, and like others in school (like cross country, gymnastics, wrestling, and track and field), 7th and 8th graders can compete on the varsity team with our 9th-12th graders, as well as compete separately. Students compete as an individual (or duo) to achieve points for his or her team. Here are a couple of details I'd like to share:

1. We have a middle-school only meet like in speech club!  It will be in late January at Dassel-Cokato.

2.  We have a great coaching staff!  Along with Mr. Meyer is Mrs. Amber Horn, who has been coaching for Maple Lake since 2020.  Joining us this year is Mrs. Mikayla Sutter, who, in addition to teaching at Maple Lake, is the school's drama director.  Mrs. Sutter competed in Iowa in speech.  Also joining us is Ms. Josephine Niemiec, who is a genuine rock star for the band "Bullets and Butterflies."  She competed for Maple Lake for six years in a variety of categories.

3.  We are really flexible!  We can do practices before school, after school, evenings after sports practices, and sometimes during the school day!  And practices are 30 minutes a week.   Plus, you do not have to attend every meet.  If you are in a winter sport, you can do your sport without any speech conflicts!   Practices can be at HSA or MLHS. 

4.  Speech looks really good on college applications!  

5.  All grade levels are encouraged to try it!  There's no "bench".  There are no auditions.  We will find a place for you. 

Competition:  

The meets are three round events where you will speak versus 4-6 other students in your category.  The way to win is to be the best in each room.  

Speech is divided into four categories:  public speaking, oral interpretation, draws, and discussion:

1.  Public speaking is where you write a speech (whole or part).  Original Oratory is persuasive/opinion; Informative is, well, informative; Great Speeches is taking someone else’s speech and presenting and teaching it to your audience.  Creative Expression is writing a humorous or serious, yet creative, selection.  You have one selection all year long to present.  Ideally, the selections should be memorized.  Time limit is 8-10 minutes.

2.  Oral interpretation is taking a poem, a story, or a play and acting it out from the belt up (using gestures, voice, etc.)  Selections may be funny or serious.  Categories in this area include Humorous Interp, Serious Drama , Serious Poetry, Serious Prose, and Duo interpretation.  You have one selection all year long to present.  Again,  the selections should be memorized.  Time limit is 7-10 minutes.

3.  Draws:  Draw categories are taking a number or selections (prose/poetry—called Extemp. Reading or Folk/fairy tales called Storytelling) or a topic in the news and present it after a prep time (that’s Extemp. Speaking ).  Time limit is 5-7 minutes.

4.  Discussion is a panel discussion with other kids on a common topic. Students must be willing to practice together at Maple Lake.

Speech is for you, if…

You enjoy being part of a team

You enjoy performing

You want to add something to your college applications

You want to express yourself!

Practices start the week of January 5.

If you can register, please do so!  All of the registration information is on the ML website: Student Registration .  Late fees for Winter registration will be waived.  If you have questions, please email Heather directly at haneyh@maplelake.k12.mn.us

Come to the meeting and find out more about it.  The meeting will be after school on Thursday, December 4th, in the high school Large Group Room, and it will run about an hour. 

Tentative Meet Schedule:

When What Where Time Bus loads/ leaves Bus Returns

Thursday, 1/22 Round-Robin Meet Annandale HS 4:00pm 3:00pm/3:10pm 8:45pm

Saturday, 2/7 Grades 9-12 Invitational STMA HS 9:00am 7:20am/7:30am 4:30pm

Thursday, 2/12 Grades 7-9 Invitational Watertown Mayer 4:00pm  2:50pm/3:00pm 9:30pm

Saturday, 2/14 Invitational Jordan HS 9:00am 6:40am/6:50am 3:30pm

Saturday, 2/21 Invitational NYA HS 9:00am 7:05am /7:15am 4:15pm (food stop after meet)

Saturday, 2/28 Invitational Home 9:00am

Saturday, 3/7 Invitational Fridley HS 9:00am 6:50am/7:00am 5:00pm

Week of 3/9 M.O.S.S. #4 Virtual

Tuesday, 3/17 Conference Meet* Paynesville HS 4:00pm 2:05pm/2:15pm 9:30pm

Friday, 3/27 Invitational HLWW 4:00pm 2:40pm/2:50pm 9:00pm

Thursday, 4/9 Subsections* Home 4:00pm

Saturday 4/18 Sections** Minnewaska Area 9:00am 6:20am/6:30am 6:00pm

Saturday, 4/25 State** Park Center HS 9:30am 8:20am/8:30am 7:00pm

*REQUIRED

**Competition depends on previous meets' success.

Communication Analysis is coming in 2027 (maybe) and will (maybe) look like this: Communication Analysis Event | 2019 AFA-NIET Final Round Recordings