Sections 4/11/12
Congratulations to the AVHS Speech Team on a strong showing at the Section 3AA State Speech Tournament held at East Ridge High School on Tuesday, April 10th. AVHS placed 3rd as a team, four points away from first and led all schools with 29 top 7 individual finalists. Students placing in the top 3 and qualifying for the state tournament were:
Max Courtright-3rd Place, Creative Expression
David Quinn-3rd Place, Discussion
Kellie Metzger-1st Place, Extemporaneous Reading
Szumei Leow-2nd Place, Great Speeches
Georgia Schmitt-1st Place, Informative Speaking
Rachel Robinson-1st Place, Informative Speaking
Nader Helmy-2nd Place, Original Oratory
Frankie Szeto, 3rd Place, Original Oratory
Patricia Reeves, 1st Place, Poetry
David Roland, 3rd Place, Prose
Helen Chao, 1st Place Storytelling
Olivia Schiffman, 2nd Place, Storytelling

State 4/23/12
Congratulations to the AVHS Speech Team on an outstanding finish at the State AA Speech Tournament held at Chanhassen High School on Saturday April 21st. Apple Valley led all schoo ls with three championships and eight finalists (top 8). Students receiving awards at the State Tournament were:
Rachel Robinson-State Champion, Informative Speaking
Szumei Leow-State Champion, Great Speeches
Patricia Reeves-State Champion, Poetry
Georgia Schmitt-State Runner-up, Informative Speaking
Frankie Szeto, 3rd Place, Original Oratory
Kellie Metzger, 3rd Place, Original Oratory
Olivia Schiffman, 5th Place, Storytelling
Nader Helmy, 7th Place, Original Oratory

Here’s a wrap-up of how the speech team finished it’s season:
Speech Team Results: Eastview Tournament 02/25/12
The Apple Valley Speech team continued their season with a strong showing at the Eastview Invitational, finishing 2nd in the sweepstakes competition. Top Individual Finishers went to the following in an Open (JV) Division and a Championship (Varsity) Division:
Open
1st: Tessa Dahlgren (Extemp Reading), Spencer Sanders (Discussion)
2nd: Caroline Berg (Prose), Caylin Stately (Storytelling), Margo Sanders (Discussion)
3rd: Andrea Aguilar (Informative), Grace Hoffa (Extemp Speaking)
5th: Sylvanna Brown (Poetry)
6th: Emily Dallman (Humorous), Kati Swiggum (Extemp Reading), Jon Crepeau (Informative), Sadie Sheldon (Great Speeches),
7th: Summer Eppel (Extemp Reading), Dominique Herskind (Discussion)

Champion
1st: Michaela Brause (Great Speeches)
2nd: Patricia Reeves (Poetry), Anna Gravrok (Great Speeches)
3rd: Jordan Kuchera (Storytelling), Kellie Metzger (Extemp Reading), Rachel Robinson (Informative), Szumei Leow (Great Speeches), Luke Stuttgen (Extemp Speaking)
4th: David Roland (Creative), Katie Swanson (Informative)
5th: Dante Smith (Great Speeches), Miriam Kelberg (Discussion)
6th: Emilee Engler (Informative)
7th: Kezia Jenkins (Discussion)

Speech Team Results: Lakeville North Tournament 03/03/12
The Apple Valley Speech team started their season with a strong showing at the Lakeville North Invitational, finishing 3rd in the sweepstakes competition. Top Individual Finishers went to:
Semifinalists (Top 12): Ian McKeag (Creative), David Roland (Creative), Margo Sanders (Discussion), Sadie Sheldon (Great Speeches), Rand Silvers (Great Speeches), Emilee Engler (Informative), Rachel Robinson (Informative), Kelly Fix (Prose), Helen Chao (Storytelling), Stephanie Kahle (Storytelling)
1st: Kellie Metzger (Extemp Reading), Szumei Leow (Great Speeches)
2nd: David Quinn (Discussion), Luke Stuttgen (Extemp Speaking), Katie Swanson (Informative), Patricia Reeves (Poetry)
3rd: Morgan Potter (Discussion), Michaela Brause (Great Speeches)
4th: Grace Barnstead (Extemp Reading)
5th: Madi Sundlof (Informative),
6th: Miriam Kelberg (Discussion)

Speech Team Results: Eagan Tournament 03/10/12
The Apple Valley Speech team continued their season with a strong showing at the Eagan Invitational, finishing 2nd in the sweepstakes competition. Top Individual Finishers went to:
Varsity
2nd: Michaela Brause (Great Speeches), David Roland (2nd), Jordan Kuchera (Storytelling)
4th: Rebecca Crepeau (Extemp Reading), Stephanie Lenertz (Humorous), Katie Swanson (Informative), Kelly Fix (Prose)
5th: Grace Barnstead (Extemp Reading), Sylvanna Brown (Poetry)
6th: Tessa Dahlgren (Extemp Reading)
7th: Madison Ruskell (Great Speeches)

Honors
1st: Katie Brellenthin (Extemp Reading)
3rd: Stephanie Lenertz (Drama), Jacob Voss (Extemp Reading)
5th: Helen Chao (Storytelling)
6th: Miriam Kelberg (Discussion), Maggie O’Brien (Prose)
7th: Dante Smith (Great Speeches)

Speech Team Results: Roseville Tournament 03/17/12
The Apple Valley Speech team continued their season with a strong showing at the Roseville Invitational, finishing 2nd in the sweepstakes competition. Top Individual Finishers went to:

1st: Katie Swanson (Informative), Frankie Szeto (Oratory)
2nd: Grace Barnstead (Extemp Reading)
3rd: Emilee Engler (Informative), Patricia Reeves (Poetry)
4th: Jacob Voss (Extemp Reading)
5th: Luke Stuttgen (Extemp Speaking), Madi Sundlof (Informative)
6th: David Quinn (Discussion), Rachel Robinson (Informative)

1st: Anna Gravok (Great Speeches), Patricia Reeves (Oratory)
2nd: Nader Helmy (Prose), Katie Brellenthin (Extemp Reading), Rand Silvers (Great Speeches)
3rd: Kati Swiggum (Extemp Reading)
4th: Johhny Chao (Discussion)
5th: Megan Smith (Extemp Reading)
6th: Neelam Chandiramani (Storytelling)

Here is a recap of all the tournaments we have yet to post on:

Emory Tournament 01/31/12
Select members of the AVHS Speech and Debate Team Travelled to Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia to compete at the prestigious Barkley Forum for High Schools. The team had many notable accomplishments that included Nader Helmy (3rd Place, Oratory), Patricia Reeves (Semi-finalist, Poetry), David Roland (Quarterfinalist, Prose) and Debaters Luke Stuttgen (Octafinalist, Top 16) and John Granlund (Double-Octas, Top 32). Congrats Team on quite an endeavor!

Eden Prairie Tournament 01/29/12
The Apple Valley Speech team continued their strong start this season with an impressive showing at the Eden Prairie Invitational, finishing 1st in the sweepstakes competition. Top Individual Awards went to Anna Gravrok (1st Great Speeches), Rachel Robinson (1st Informative), Georgia Schmitt (2nd Informative), Szumei Leow (2nd Great Speeches), David Quinn (2nd Discussion), Jacob Voss (3rd Extemp. Reading), Dante Smith (3rd Great Speeches), Emily Dallman (3rd Humorous), and Katie Swanson (3rd Informative).

Honor Finalists
Jordan Kuchera (1st Storytelling), Kelly Fix (2nd Prose), Morgan Potter (2nd Discussion), Katie Brellenthin (2nd Extemp Reading), Kezia Jenkins (3rd Discussion), Jacob Shawback (3rd Extemp Speaking), Stephanie Kahle (3rd Storytelling), Madison Ruskell (4th Great Speeches), Summer Eppel (6th Ex. Reading), Indra Grebin (6th Storytelling), Alauna Hagerty (7th Storytelling) and Leah Plasek (7th Poetry)

Novice Finalists
Grace Barnstead (1st Extemp Reading), Megan Smith (2nd Extemp Reading) Spencer Sanders (3rd Novice Discussion), Sarah Reagan (4th Prose), Maggie O’Brien (5th Prose), Grace Hoffa (5th Extemp Speaking), Rachel Grubb (6th Prose), and Paige Nelson (7th Extemp Reading)

Bloomington Tournament 02/18/12)
The Speech Team continued to stay near the top of the pack this season with another great result at the Bloomington Speech Tournament. The team placed 2nd overall, missing first place by just 6 points. Top Individual Winners were:

Finalists
1st: Place: Patricia Reeves (Poetry), Jordan Kuchera (Storytelling), Jacob Voss (Extemp Reading), Luke Stuttgen (Extemp Speaking), Nader Helmy (Oratory)
2nd Place: Max Coutright and Patricia Reeves (Duo), Rand Silvers (Great Speeches), Emilee Enlger (Informative), Olivia Schiffman (Storytelling), Morgan Potter (Discussion)
3rd Place: Madi Sundlof (Informative)
4th Place: Ian McKeag (Creative), Rachel Robinson (Informative)
5th Place: Anna Gravrok (Great Speeches), Katie Swanson (Informative), Stephanie Lenertz (Humorous), Daivd Roland (Prose)
6th Place: Kezia Jenkins (Discussion), Kelly Fix (Prose)
7th Place: Dante Smith (Great Speeches), Avery Mitchell- Brown (Poetry), Miriam Kelberg (Discussion), Jacob Shawback (Extemp Speaking) and Caroline Berg (Prose)

Novice Finalists
1st: Place: Grace Barnstead (Extemp Reading)
2nd Place: Tessa Dahlgren (Extemp Reading), Maggie O’Brien (Prose), Stephanie Kahle (Storytelling),
3rd Place: Margo Sanders (Discussion), Megan Smith (Extemp Reading)
4th Place: Spencer Sanders (Discussion), Grace Hoffa (Extemp Speaking), Rachel Bernard (Oratory), Sylvanna Brown (Poetry)
5th Place: Ashley Suter (Extemp Reading), Neelam Chandiramani (Storytelling)
6th Place: Jon Crepeau (Informative), Maddy Ober (Extemp Speaking), Rachel Grubb (Prose)
7th Place: Johnny Chao (Discussion)

Apple Valley Speech continued their impressive season with a great showing at the Lakeville South tournament this weekend. After strong performances from both Novice and Varsity team members, Apple Valley earned 2nd place in the Team Sweepstakes awards.
In Varsity, Michaela Brause, Nader Helmy, Georgia Schmitt, Patricia Reeves and Luke Stuttgen all earned 1st place in the categories of Great Speeches, Original Oratory, Informative, Poetry, and Impromptu, respectively. Rebecca Crepeau earned 2nd place in Extemporaneous Reading, while Anna Gravrok finished 2nd in Great Speeches. Emilee Engler finished 2nd in informative. Informative broke 2 other speakers to finals, with Rachel Robinson and Paige Coulter finished in 3rd and 5th place, respectively. Jordan Kuchera finished in 3rd in Storytelling while Olivia Schiffman finished in 6th. Morgan Potter and Kezia Jenkins finished in 4th and 6th in Discussion. Katie Brellenthin finished in 5th in Extemporaneous Reading. Dante Smith finished in 4th place in Great Speeches, while Stephanie Lenertz finished in 8th in Impromptu. Avery Mitchell-Brown and Leah Plasek finished in 5th and 7th in Poetry, while David Roland and Kelly Fix finished in 6th and 7th in Prose.

Congratulations to all competitors on a great weekend!

The Minneapple Speech Tournament was held at Apple Valley High School on February 4th, and the Apple Valley Speech team represented their school well with a very strong showing. Varsity and novice competitors performed well in multiple categories.
The Minneapple’s marble apple is a coveted trophy for anyone in speech and debate. In speech, apples are awarded to the top 3 competitors in varsity divisions, and to first place in novice. In Varsity, Georgia Schmitt finished in 1st place in Informative Speaking. Katie Brellenthin, Nader Helmy, and Szumei Leow earned 2nd place in the categories of Extemporaneous Reading, Original Oratory, and Great Speeches respectively. Earning 3rd place in the categories of Great Speeches and Informative were Michaela Brause and Emilee Engler. The categories of Discussion broke 3 varsity competitors to finals, with Morgan Potter, David Quinn, and Miriam Kelberg finishing in 4th, 6th, and 7th. Rand Silvers earned 5th in Great Speeches while Rachel Robinson and Katie Swanson finished in 4th and 5th in Informative. Kelly Fix also finished 5th in prose, while Rebecca Crepeau finished in 6th in Extemporaneous reading. Earning 1st place in Honor Finals was Patricia Reeves in Poetry.
Apple Valley novices found success at the Minneapple, as well. Grace Hoffa and Tessa Dahlgren finished in 1st place in the categories of Extemporaneous Speaking and Extemporaneous Reading, respectively. Extemporaneous Reading also broke 3 other novices to finals. Grace Barnstead, Paige Nelson, and Ashley Suter finished in 3rd, 5th, and 6th. Spencer Sanders and Maddy Ober finished in 3rd in Discussion and Extemporaneous Speaking, respectively.

Congratulations to all competitors!