Oral Interpretation Team Competes Successfully at State, Bringing Home Three Superiors and Team Award
By Coach Ronda Graber
Gregory’s Oral Interpretation Team had an excellent showing this past weekend at the state festival in Sturgis. Of the six pieces performed, three received a superior.
For the fourth year in a row, the readers theatre team received a superior placing. Cruz Klundt, who has been on the last three readers theatre teams, Madi Graber, Dani Timanus, Bo Brozik, and Ella Sperl performed “Law and Order – Fairy Tale Unit.”
The duet “The Complete History of America (Abridged)” also received a superior. This is the second year that Piper Bartlett and Graber have competed in this category and been awarded with superiors.
The third piece to receive a superior was George Timanus in the serious category. This was his first trip to the state festival. He performed the piece “The Burn Journals.”
D. Timanus, Graber, and Aubree Miller also competed at the state festival in the categories of poetry, storytelling, and oratory, respectively. Although they did not receive superiors in these categories, they still gave excellent performances and represented Gregory High School well.
Students are awarded superiors if two of the three judges give them a superior rating. A superior with distinction is awarded to those who have perfect scores from all three judges. Gregory has never received a superior with distinction.
The team won a Team Excellence Award as well. To receive this award, all A and B schools must receive at least two superiors. AA schools must receive four superiors to win this award.
“Students at the state festival have 5-10 minutes to convince three judges that they are superior worthy. It is a very subjective event. Judges have a rubric to follow, but sometimes personal opinion does affect their decisions. Because of this, oral interpretation can be a very frustrating activity. I am proud of all of my students who had the perseverance to perform and be criticized over and over this year. If you can successfully speak in front of an audience, you can accomplish anything!” Coach Graber commented.