The Large Group District Speech Contest was a little different this year, but that didn’t stop the students from Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn. The short film team, consisting of Marie Hicks, Jaela Anliker, Anissa Bush, Alyssa Gibbons, and Juliana Pasillas, put together a performance that earned them a I rating.
Due to the pandemic, the contest in Spencer on January 23 was held virtually rather than in person. The team created a short film entitled “After the Lie” and emailed the film to the Spencer school district, where it was viewed and evaluated by a judge certified with the Iowa High School Speech Association. “After the Lie” is about a girl who meets with a stranger that she has been texting, and the consequences of that choice.
Earning a I rating at the district contest allows the film to move on to the state contest on February 6. This contest, hosted by the LeMars Community School district, will also be a virtual contest.