LTHS Speech Teams going strong

At 63 members strong, the Lyons Township High School Speech Team is big enough for both junior varsity and varsity teams. Recently after competing against 20-some, top-rated high school at the D211 Turkey Tournament, the JV team earned a 4th place finish with 10 individual winners, and varsity took 3rd place with nine individual winners.

According to Speech Team sponsor Kirsten Manthei, “We are feeling very confident about our team this year. The students have really stepped it up in these extremely intense tournaments. The team feels prepared for competition and is hoping to perform well all season long.”

Congratulations to the following individual LT Speech Team medal winners at the Turkey Tournament:

The Speech Team season continued with a competition at the Cary Grove meet on Saturday, with the junior varsity winning 4th place overall. Sophomore Spiro Kass, of LaGrange Park, won 5th in Extemporaneous Speaking, freshman Erin Cosgrove, of LaGrange, and freshman Devon Winchester, of LaGrange, won 5th in Dramatic Duet Acting, freshman Mark DeWeese, of Brookfield, won 3rd in Humorous Interpretation, and freshman Pilar Valdes, of Countryside, won 2nd in Humorous Interpretation.

Several miles south, the varsity team performed at Bradley University’s George Armstrong Heart of Illinois Invite. This was the first time LT had ever competed at the meet; it was very competitive and intense with students from across the Midwest.

LT took 25 students, with six students breaking into semifinals. Later that weekend, nine students advanced to the final round of competition. LT finished the invite in 5th place overall. Senior Melissa Fuentes won 1st place in the Jansen Oratory scholarship contest- winning a $15,000 scholarship to Bradley University.