What is this Speech Team you speak of?
Speech Team is a competitive team in which students compete in 13 unique events, ranging from impromptu speaking, to acting, to newscasting, to verse and prose reading. Students are judged against their competitors at tournaments, and compete for a chance to be entered in the final round of the tournament, boost their team’s score, and win trophies and medals for themselves.

Why should I join the Speech Team?
As a member of the Speech Team you will build skills relevant to public speaking, acting, broadcasting, and interpretation. You will meet very cool students from MHS and other high schools, and you might even get a t-shirt with your name on it, which will of course make you the envy of all your friends. Finally, while I’m sure this next point is obvious, you will get to spend tons of time with Miss Harris, whose wit and intelligence will keep you thoroughly entertained. (She’ll also provide breakfast for all Saturday tournaments and morning meetings. Who doesn’t like free food?)

What do you actually do on the Speech Team?
Speech tournaments take place on Saturdays, and usually last eight to twelve hours. Students are usually judged in rounds of five to eight competitors. There are generally three preliminary rounds of competition, and the top-ranking competitors in each event advance to the final round. While there can be anywhere from thirty to sixty students entered in each single event at a tournament, only six or seven usually make finals, and these finalists take home awards.

Students compete in one to two of the following events for the entire season:

Dramatic Duet Acting (DDA)
Dramatic Interpretation (DI)
Humorous Interpretation (HI)
Humorous Duet Acting (HDA)
Extemporaneous Speaking (ES, EX, EXTEMP)
Impromptu Speaking (IS, IMP)
Oratorical Declamation (OD)
Original Comedy (OC)
Original Oratory (OO)
Prose Reading (PR)
Radio Speaking (RS)
Special Occasion Speaking (SOS)
Verse Reading (VR)

Upcoming events
Our competitive season will be announced shortly.

Where do I sign up?
Contact Mrs. Oster (see below)

Contact information
You can find Mrs. Oster in room 141 before or after school, or via email at lloster@mhs.k12.il.us.