Molly Dunn (left) State Champion Speaker in Storytelling
Katie Schwartz, Runner-up in Humorous Interpretation

River Valley Speech Team has State Champion in Storytelling and Runner-up in Humorous

Springfield High School senior Molly Dunn was crowned champion in her category of storytelling at Friday’s Minnesota State High School League Class A speech tournament at Lakeville North High School.  This was Molly’s fifth state appearance. 

Senior Katie Schwartz was awarded second place runner-up honors in her category of humorous interpretation.  This was Katie’s second state appearance.  

Both women survived three rigorous preliminary rounds of competition to advance to the final round which featured the state’s best speakers in each of the activity’s 13 categories.  Both performed in final rounds to large audiences made up of friends, family members and other spectators from throughout the state.  With Saturday’s results, Dunn now becomes the tenth Springfield speech student to earn a state championship and will join the school’s other individual state champions including those in golf, wrestling, and spelling who are recognized in the auditorium lobby.
 

A total of eight students from the River Valley speech team participated in this year’s state tournament, and each participant involved put in a tremendous amount of work throughout the season to earn the opportunity to perform at state. Other state participants included senior Mariah Hoyt in prose, sophomores Ben Runck and Joe Pieshel in duo interpretation, freshmen Briana Schmidt and Katelyn Hauth who both competed in original oratory, and eighth-grader Sarah Dunn in humorous.  

State participants and medalists were welcomed back to town Friday evening with a police and fire truck escort around town.  Several students, parents, teachers, and community members gathered in the school parking lot to recognize the accomplishments of the students.  

This year’s coaching staff has included head coach Brianna Jensen, who was assisted by Springfield’s Darcy Hoyt, Cheryl Neidt, and Rebecca Bartz.
 

Springfield Advance-Press

13 S. Marshall Avenue PO Box 78 Springfield, MN 56087

507-723-4225