Activities Performing Arts High School Speech Team
Coaches
Suzanne Jones
Ashlee Whittington
Jessica Williams
Nathan Mastbergen
Participating Students
95
Eligible Grades
9-12
Website
https://sites.google.com/pellaschools.org/speech-and-drama
Achievements
2025 All-State Large Group
Readers Theatre – Lucas Blake, Ky Drabek, Bensen Foster, Olivia Jorgenson, Kai Lyons, Adilynn Montgomery (Nora Ausman at Districts), Kaeru Peffers, Andrew Rhinehart, Becca Sharkey, Tabetha Tangen
Musical Theatre – Alex DeMuth, Bensen Foster, Joeley Helle, Samantha Mora Demestri, Andrew Rhinehart, Milo VanHaaften, Gavin Williams, Aurelia Zylstra
Group Improv: Eric Buckingham, Ethan Flanders, Clayten Richards, Isaac Vandenberg, Gavin Williams
*Group Improv: Presley Butler, Kenzie Kohlhaas, Lily Podmolik, Sibley Rhoten
*Group Improv: Alex Demuth, Samantha Mora Demestri, Sienna Rhoten, JJ Spratt
*Group Mime: Jack Brown, Porter Haug, Evan Johnston
*Television News: Loic O’Neil, Eric Buckingham, Isaac Vandenberg, Jamison Castle, Noah Vandekeift
2025 All-State Individual Events
*Alex Demuth: After Dinner Speaking
*Dom Davis: Spontaneous Speaking
*Ky Drabek: Radio News Announcing
Ky Drabek: Reviewing
*Olive Picray: Literary Program 9th
2024 All-State Large Group
*Ensemble Acting: Luci Hopkins, Kolton Messer
Ensemble Acting: McKenna Evans, Abigail Hietbrink, Hannah Hildebrand, Hunter Johnson, Faith Vandenberg
Musical Theatre: Hannah Hildebrand, Olivia Hood, Luci Hopkins, Hunter Johnson, Alexa Klein, Kolton Messer, Samuel Miller, Bodie Peters
Readers Theatre: Ky Drabek, Leticia dos Santos, Naomi Dunsbergen, Bensen Foster, Rinnah Hardeman, Abigail Hietbrink, Joeley Helle, Kai Lyons, Morgan McAninch, Samantha Mora, Kaeru Peffers, Rebecca Sharkey, Anna Wick, Gavin Williams, Aurelia Zylstra
Group Improvisation: Alex Demuth, Stephen Gaul, Ryan Sales, Wyatt Van Dyke
2024 All-State Individual Events
Alex Demuth: After Dinner Speaking
*Alex Demuth: Spontaneous Speaking
*Olivia Hood: Solo Musical Theatre
*Luci Hopkins: After Dinner Speaking
Luci Hopkins: Solo Musical Theatre
*Kolton Messer: Acting
*Sibley Rhoten: Prose 9th
*Ryan Sales: Solo Improv
Ryan Sales: Prose
*Tiffani Thatcher: Original Oratory
*Aurelia Zylstra: Storytelling
2023 All-State Large Group
Ensemble Acting: Grant Anderson, Ryder Bates, Hannah Hildebrand, Camden Holland, and Skye Rhoten
Ensemble Acting: Aleigha Ausman, Abbey Beal, Sam Miller, and Josephine McDonald
2023 All-State Individual Events
*Aleigha Ausman: Acting
*Abbey Beal: Prose
*Sami Clark: Storytelling
*Alex DeMuth: After Dinner Speaking
*Braelyn Ensor: Solo Musical Theatre
*Luci Hopkins: Acting
*Ryan Sales: Prose
*Aurelia Zylstra: Storytelling
2022 All-State Large Group
*Group Improvisation: Emily Carlo, Maggie Leach, Josephine McDonald, Bethany Schreur
*Radio Broadcasting: Gavin Beckey, Lance Erickson, Zadok Gustavson, Zane McSheehy
Readers Theatre: Sam Beukelman, Jacob Byers, John De Bruin, Alloree Else, Addi Hartwick, Willa Kelpe, Lily Lovell, Kolton Messer, Taryn Peffers, Skye Rhoten, Ryan Sales, Wyatt Van Dyke
2022 All-State Individual Events
*Grant Anderson: Solo Musical Theatre
*Aleigha Ausman: Acting
*Luci Hopkins – Storytelling
*Maggie Leach – Prose
*Maggie Leach – After Dinner
*Zane McSheehy – Radio News Announcing
*Ryan Sales – Prose
2021 All-State Large Group
Readers Theatre – Sam Beukelman, Jacob Byers, John De Bruin, Cameron Johnson, Willa Kelpe, Lily Lovell, Taryn Peffers, Skye Rhoten, Ibby Schlerman, Ella Van Zee
2021 All-State Individual Events
Connor Gauley: After Dinner Speaking
Will Rasmussen: Spontaneous Speaking
Addison Hartwick: Original Oratory
Ryan Sales: Prose (9th)
Maggie Leach: After Dinner Speaking
Maggie Leach: Prose
2020 All-State Large Group
Musical Theatre: Abbi Adrian, Emily Rozendaal, Hanna Kendall, Hannah Tschetter, Tierney Copeland
Musical Theatre: Colby VanGorp, Connor Gauley, Grayson Parisee, Maggie Leach, Mason Diaz Bandera, Meridith Rowe, Travis Mitchell, Will Rasmussen
Group Improvisation: Will Rasmussen, Titus Hopkins, Connor Folkers, John DeBruin, Travis Mitchell
Readers Theatre: Ashley Uitermarkt, Cameron Johnson, Emily Rozendaal, Grace Emmert, Hanna Kendall, Ibby Schlerman, Joe Beukelman, John DeBruin, Liam Peffers, Sam Beukelman, Willa Kelpe, Wyatt Kelpe
2020 All-State Individual Events
Hanna Kendall: Prose
Maggie Leach: After Dinner Speaking
Sarah Linde: Original Oratory
Josephine McDonald: Poetry (9th)
Liam Peffers: Lit Program
Meridith Rowe: Musical Theatre
Elaine Schippers: Poetry
Ella VanZee: Storytelling
2019 All-State Large Group
Musical Theatre: Ezra Blasi, Frances DeArmond, Connor Gauley, Hanna Kendall, Travis Mitchell, William Rasmussen, Lydia Taylor, Hannah Tschetter
Television News: Levi Dugger, Gavin Klein, Troy Miller, Jacob Schemm, Matthew Thompson, Gavin Tierney
2019 All-State Individual Events
*Connor Gauley: After Dinner Speaking
*Maggie Leach: Prose (9th)
*Meridith Rowe: Musical Theatre (9th)
2018 All-State Large Group
Ensemble Acting: Brenna Hildebrand, Grace Larson, Julie Start, Ethan Vance, Brady VanWaardhuizen
Musical Theatre: Mason Diaz Bandera, Grayson Parisee, Colby VanGorp
*Musical Theatre: Caroline Henry, Natalie Henry, Bailee Meyer, Maggie Renaud, Andie Sunderman, Lydia Taylor, Juliana VanGorp
Readers Theatre: Annaleigh Babcock, Chris Call, Zoe Card, Grace Cottington, Cameron Johnson, Hanna Kendall, Liam Peffers, Emily Rozendaal, Elaine Schippers
*Television News: Austin Adrian, Levi Dugger, Caroline Henry, Gavin Klein, Kaleb Lyons, Troy Miller, Jacob Schemm, Matthew Thompson, Gavin Tierney, Nick Vroom
2018 All-State Individual Events
Hanna Kendall: Prose
Ethan Vance: Improvisation
Ethan Vance: Literary Program
Isaac Zeimetz: Acting
*All State Performers