Union’s Large Group Speech team is pictured on Monday, Jan. 31, at Union High School in La Porte City. Front row (l-r): Joe Bistline, Elle Hookham, Matt Carlson, Erica Hoppe, Carlie Spore, Ellie Rathe, Chloe Juhl, and Kylee Petersen. Second row (l-r): Matthew Medina, Landen Reed, Ava Corpman, Rebekah Dickerson, Laura Rempe, and Cora Klein. Back row (l-r): Austin Martin, Daniel Gray, and Hayden Spore. Contributed photo

It is that time of year again…the time when the Union Speech Team prepares for both Large Group and Individual contests.

The District Large Group Contest took place Saturday, Jan. 22, at West High School in Waterloo. The Union Speech Team ended up taking four groups to contest, with two of the groups moving on to state competition in Decorah on February 5.

Once again, it was the Musical Theater groups who led the day for the Union Large Group Speech Team. Both groups earned a Division I and are moving on to state competition.

“I am so lucky to have Casey Tecklenberg as my assistant coach this year,” Dean Bostian, head speech coach, said. “Casey is returning to Union High School where he was a student and now he is leading the vocal music wing, and his work is amazing!”

Those participating in the musical theaters are:

-Musical Theater, Pippen: Laura Rempe, Joe Bistline, Carlie Spore, Ellie Rathe, Matt Carlson, and Austin Martin.

-Musical Theater, Seussical: Rebekah Dickerson, Cora Klein, Elle Hookham, Erica Hoppe, Hayden Spore, Daniel Gray, Matthew Medina, and Landen Reed.

Two other groups, Readers Theater and Short Film, also had entries and brought home a Division II for each group.

“I was busy this year filling in for a social studies teacher who left, so time was very limited to get these groups together, but both did amazing jobs and really came on in their own at the end,” said Bostian.

-Reader’s Theater, Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Rebekah Dickerson, Ava Corpman, and Hunter Schaefer.

-Short Film, Semicolon: Chloe Juhl, Haven Ellsworth, Kylee Petersen, Alexis Nosko, Abby Bonner, Arianna Abrahamson, and Emma Jenkins.

The Union Speech Team will continue to prepare for State Large Group competition, while at the same time start getting ready for Individual competition.

“This is our busiest time of year, but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Bostian said.