Once again, the Great Bend High School speech team had a successful weekend. They hosted a huge State tournament and finished 3rd in the State. On Saturday, May 3, the team split efforts between performing at the State Festival at Maize High School and hosting and competing in the 5A State Championship at home.
State Festival Success at Maize High School
Eight students represented Great Bend at the State Festival and returned home with an impressive seven superior “I” ratings and four “II” ratings. A I rating is defined as an outstanding presentation with few technical errors and exemplifies excellence. A II rating indicates a good presentation in many respects, but not worthy of the highest rating due to minor defects in presentation techniques or interpretation.
At the festival, Dixie Gallant earned a I in Prose and a II in Poetry, while Ella Nokes brought home two I ratings in both Poetry and Impromptu. Lea Nokes also received a I rating in Poetry, and Ailey Williams was awarded a I in Humorous Interpretation. Diana Stoddard earned a I in Impromptu, and Hunter McClanahan received a I in Informative. Kyra Calvert earned a II in Prose, and Rhys Froetschner picked up two II ratings in Impromptu and Extemporaneous Speaking.
Coach Kim Heath reflected, “It’s always amazing to see our students perform with poise and pride. The Festival results show the depth of talent we have on this team – and how much hard work these students have put in all year long.”
Hosting the 5A State Championship
While the Festival team was collecting medals, Great Bend hosted 24 schools and over 260 entries at the 5A State Championship tournament. The GBHS team ran concessions, sold T-shirts, coordinated rounds, and handled the logistics of hosting a major event.
“We’ve hosted invitationals before, but this was something special,” Heath said. “Our students managed this tournament and interacted with the public like pros. Almost every student on the team was competing in the State Festival or Championship or helping with hosting duties”
“I’m deeply grateful to our administrators, our incredible custodial staff, our community judges, and everyone who played a part in making this possible,” continued Heath. “The support we felt from our school was overwhelming — and it meant everything to us. The entire community played a role in helping Great Bend Speech rise to the occasion.”
State Finalist Highlights and Trophy Finish
Great Bend High School secured the 3rd Place Sweepstakes trophy – the first time in nearly 20 years the team has earned a top-three finish at State. Andover High School was named the 2025 5A State Speech and Drama Champions, and Basehor-Linwood High School earned the Runner-Up trophy.
Out of 17 events, 11 Great Bend entries advanced to semifinals. Among the many standout performances, Steven Guillory placed 8th in Impromptu, and Parker Coleman earned 9th in Lincoln-Douglas Debate and 12th in International Extemp. Anna Bitter and Ellie Damm finished 10th in Duo Interpretation. Ellie Damm also placed 10th in Poetry. Mark Sperlein was right behind with an 11th place finish in Poetry.
Five of the 11 semifinalists continued on to finals. Darcy Feist was crowned a Double State Champion, winning 1st place in both Program Oral Interpretation (POI) and Oration. Steven Guillory and Quinton Heath were named State Runners-Up in Duo Interpretation, and Reese King took home a 3rd-place medal in Informative. Anna Bitter placed 5th in POI.
Also earning Sweepstakes points for the Panthers were Kendra Schneideman who finished 14th in Oration. Quinton Heath took 15th in Dramatic Interpretation, Kyra Lewis placed 15th in Domestic Extemp, Darcy Feist earned 17th in Prose, and Zachary Hart finished 17th in International Extemp. Samantha Negaard rounded out the team’s points with a 20th-place finish in Dramatic Interpretation.
“This was one of the proudest weekends of my coaching career,” said Heath. “To see our students shine competitively, act as hosts for hundreds of visitors, and support one another so genuinely — it’s exactly what speech and debate should be.”
