On Saturday, March 15, the Dubuque Senior Speech Team competed in the 2025 State Individual Event Speech Contest at Starmont High School in Arlington, Iowa. The team received overall Division I (Excellent) ratings in 47 performances.
The Hempstead High School Speech Team had a two students receive Division I ratings in four performances. The students were coached by Harmony Roe and Don Stanner. The contest is sponsored by the Iowa High School Speech Association.
The Dubuque Senior Speech Team also received 21 total Outstanding Performance nominations to the 2025 Individual Event All-State Festival which will be held Monday, March 31st at the University of Northern Iowa. The Dubuque Senior Varsity team also earned the I.H.S.S.A. Individual Event
Sweepstakes Trophy, given to the school with the most nominations to the Festival. This marks the thirteenth consecutive year the Dubuque Senior Speech Team has won the Individual Events Sweepstakes Trophy making them 2025 Individual Events State Champion.
Dubuque Senior’s varsity honors include four double All-State nominees – Peyton Dixon, Avery Kane, Chase Kreimeyer, and Ella Meyer. The group is coached by Hannah Burke, Aaron Dean, Greg Ernzen, Natalie Ervolino, Mike Grant, Maria LoBianco, Megan Schumacher, Chad Thomas and Matt Tompkins. The Festival is sponsored by the Iowa High School Speech Association, which is an affiliate of the Iowa High School Girls Athletic Union.
Dubuque Senior High School
- Riley Beck – Solo Musical Theatre
- Ami Bellings – Solo Musical Theatre
- Julien Derks – Literary Program
- Peyton Dixon – Original Oratory & Storytelling
- Millie Eikamp – Expository Address
- Norah Homb – Storytelling
- Avery Kane – Acting & Literary Program
- Blair Kapp – After Dinner Speaking
- Chase Kreimeyer – After Dinner Speaking & Improvisational Acting
- Iris Lammer-Heindel – Public Address
- Liam Kroger – Radio News Announcing
- Ella Meyer – Prose & Spontaneous Speaking
- Jameson Norton – Acting
- Izzy Pregler – Prose
- Kate Putnam – Poetry
- Jack Rothert – After Dinner Speaking
- Adrianna Smith – Poetry
State Division I (Excellent) Rated Recognition:
Dubuque Senior High School
- Kelsey Ahlers – Storytelling
- Cassidy Bandy – Expository Address
- Evangeline Blaine – Poetry
- Seattle Bontemps – Original Oratory
- Wyatt Branscomb – Spontaneous Speaking
- Lela Bryant-Henry – Prose
- Sam Cavanagh – Radio News Announcing
- Matthew Denham – Original Oratory
- Liam Dostal – Solo Musical Theatre
- Anna Garrett-Douillet – Public Address
- Olivia Gennings – Prose
- Sam Haug – Review
- Amelia Hoffman – Literary Program
- Finn Kinkaid – Review
- Maura Lawler – Review
- Camilla Moeller – Radio News Announcing
- Josie Norton – Poetry
- Madeline Oney – Poetry
- Reid Postma – Improvisational Acting
- Ellieah Routley – Expository Address
- Benjamin Schaefer – Spontaneous Speaking
- Audrey Schuster – Expository Address
- Alaina Smith – Storytelling
- Bella VandenBerge – Acting & Public Address
- Morgan Weiland – Improvisational Acting
Hempstead High School
- Keegan Quam – Storytelling
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Maggie Morrow – Storytelling