About SEP Speech

SEP Speech offers students competitive performance and public speaking opportunities through participation in the Iowa High School Speech Association in two divisions:

• Large Group Speech: SEP Speech guides students to become confident collaborators, creative performers, and effective communicators through ensemble storytelling, artistic expression, and shared responsibility in performance.

• Individual Speech: Individual Speech challenges students to pursue excellence in communication and performance through creativity, discipline, and artistic expression. Through opportunities to write and perform original works, interpret the voices of established authors, and respond spontaneously to live prompts, students develop confidence, critical thinking, and purposeful communication skills.

Southeast Polk Community School District, the 13th largest school district in Iowa, is comprised of Runnells, Altoona, Mitchellville, parts of Pleasant Hill, Bondurant, Des Moines, and surrounding rural areas. The district was formed by a consolidation of several districts in 1962 and now operates eleven attendance centers: a high school, middle school, sixth grade center, and eight elementary schools. The district is surrounded by a variety of recreational opportunities including the popular theme park, Adventureland, and the state’s only horse racing facility, Prairie Meadows. A myriad athletic and cultural opportunities are close by in the state capitol of Des Moines, and 11 colleges and universities are located within 35 miles of the district.

Built in 2008, Southeast Polk High School’s extensive and beautiful campus is the result of a nearly $60 million building project. Its state-of-the-art facilities, which serve a population of more than 2000 students, include a departmentalized layout with faculty work and office space, large athletic facilities, and a beautiful performing arts center. The school has been recognized for its excellence and achievement in academic, artistic, and athletic programming.