Five Bigfork High School students place in top eight in state for speech and drama

Bigfork had five students finish in the top eight at the State Class B Speech, Debate and Drama meet in Ennis.

On the speech side, Samantha Smit finished fourth in impromptu speaking and Stacey Poulson placed fifth in serious oral interpretation. In drama Rosalie Lander and Alexandra Moore placed sixth in humorous duo and McKinley Paine placed seventh in humorous solo.

“They did as well as expected,” head coach Charlie Appleby said. “We did really well and took a good step forward with some of our young kids.”

Though none walked away state champions, all of the finishers were pleased to have secured a spot among the top.

Lander and Moore were excited to just make the final round of competition with their duo.

“Once we did, we didn’t even care if we placed,” Moore said.

Good friends Lander and Moore joined the team so they could continue spending time together, and making each other laugh.

“This was just something we can do together,” Moore said.

The pair placed with a comical take on a Russians children’s show.

“Basically we have 10 minutes to make people laugh as much as possible,” Lander said.

When they learned they had placed sixth, it was an emotional moment. “We cried,” Lander said.

Speech and drama differs from other organized school competitions, by being a very independent activity. Students go up against about 20 other students in each meet, sometimes more. Smit said at one meet there were over 60 competitors in impromptu.

“In speech it’s individual work, you make it on your own,” Paine said.

However, it also creates camaraderie among competitors students said, and others come to know you by the piece you compete with.

“If you have people quoting your piece you know you did alright,” Paine said.

“Usually the people you’re competing against, they’re really cool,” Lander said.

“You make friends at other schools,” Poulson said. 

This was Smit’s first year competing in speech and she said she was pretty pleased to do so well in something she was just trying for the first time.

Like other performance-based competitions, judging for speech and drama can be subjective.

In impromptu speaking, competitors are given a quote or cartoon to prompt their speech.

“Every person has a different view on what they saw,” Smit said. “If you know the topic, what you’re talking about, I can go off on that.”

While public speaking may not seem like a great time to many, the Bigfork students who placed said it’s not as terrifying as one might think, though they do get nervous.

“Once you start, it’s not scary,” Paine said. “Once you start you’re fine.”

And Moore said it has helped build her confidence in front of an audience.

“It’s definitely helped me with public speaking,” she said. “I get less nervous in front of crowds.”

“It’s a lot of fun,” Lander said. “It’s an experience.”

Though only five Bigfork students came away with medals, other were close. Bigfork had five competitors make it to the semi-finals, which is the top 12 in the state. 

State finalists

Samantha Smit, 4th, Impromptu

Stacey Poulson, 5th, SOI

Rosalie Lander and Alexandra Moore 6th, in HUM DUO

McKinley Paine, 7th, Hum Solo

State semi-finalists

Sierra Curtis Semi-finalist, OO

Shannon Frizzell Semi-finalist, MPA

Kaylynn Isaman Semi-finalist, Expos

Elizabeth Kalenak Semi-finalist, HOI

Kenzie Meyer Semi-finalist, Hum Solo

Bigfork High School’s speech and drama team proved they have some of the best talent in the state last weekend.

Bigfork had five students finish in the top eight at the State Class B Speech, Debate and Drama meet in Ennis.

On the speech side, Samantha Smit finished fourth in impromptu speaking and Stacey Poulson placed fifth in serious oral interpretation. In drama Rosalie Lander and Alexandra Moore placed sixth in humorous duo and McKinley Paine placed seventh in humorous solo.

“They did as well as expected,” head coach Charlie Appleby said. “We did really well and took a good step forward with some of our young kids.”

Though none walked away state champions, all of the finishers were pleased to have secured a spot among the top.

Lander and Moore were excited to just make the final round of competition with their duo.

“Once we did, we didn’t even care if we placed,” Moore said.

Good friends Lander and Moore joined the team so they could continue spending time together, and making each other laugh.

“This was just something we can do together,” Moore said.

The pair placed with a comical take on a Russians children’s show.

“Basically we have 10 minutes to make people laugh as much as possible,” Lander said.

When they learned they had placed sixth, it was an emotional moment. “We cried,” Lander said.

Speech and drama differs from other organized school competitions, by being a very independent activity. Students go up against about 20 other students in each meet, sometimes more. Smit said at one meet there were over 60 competitors in impromptu.

“In speech it’s individual work, you make it on your own,” Paine said.

However, it also creates camaraderie among competitors students said, and others come to know you by the piece you compete with.

“If you have people quoting your piece you know you did alright,” Paine said.

“Usually the people you’re competing against, they’re really cool,” Lander said.

“You make friends at other schools,” Poulson said. 

This was Smit’s first year competing in speech and she said she was pretty pleased to do so well in something she was just trying for the first time.

Like other performance-based competitions, judging for speech and drama can be subjective.

In impromptu speaking, competitors are given a quote or cartoon to prompt their speech.

“Every person has a different view on what they saw,” Smit said. “If you know the topic, what you’re talking about, I can go off on that.”

While public speaking may not seem like a great time to many, the Bigfork students who placed said it’s not as terrifying as one might think, though they do get nervous.

“Once you start, it’s not scary,” Paine said. “Once you start you’re fine.”

And Moore said it has helped build her confidence in front of an audience.

“It’s definitely helped me with public speaking,” she said. “I get less nervous in front of crowds.”

“It’s a lot of fun,” Lander said. “It’s an experience.”

Though only five Bigfork students came away with medals, other were close. Bigfork had five competitors make it to the semi-finals, which is the top 12 in the state. 

State finalists

Samantha Smit, 4th, Impromptu

Stacey Poulson, 5th, SOI

Rosalie Lander and Alexandra Moore 6th, in HUM DUO

McKinley Paine, 7th, Hum Solo

State semi-finalists

Sierra Curtis Semi-finalist, OO

Shannon Frizzell Semi-finalist, MPA

Kaylynn Isaman Semi-finalist, Expos

Elizabeth Kalenak Semi-finalist, HOI

Kenzie Meyer Semi-finalist, Hum Solo