Schools

Talking Points: St. Michael-Albertville Speech Kids Make Their Mark on National Stage

Two members of the St. Buffaville speech team, both from St. Michael-Albertville High School, will head to Dallas this summer to compete in the National Forensics League's National Tournament.

Tucked back in the music wing of the St. Michael-Albertville High School, the instruments are quiet. No one is singing. The only music comes from a computer tuned into to Internet radio. 

But the sound of papers rustling, the projection of students' voices, and the camaraderie of a local speech team is music to Ron Miller and Mike Frickstad's collective ears. 

The St. Buffaville speech team (which includes STMA and Buffalo team members) has been racking up the honors this year, including two members who will travel to Dallas, June 13-18, for the National Forensic League National Tournament. 

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Freshman Cody Goodchild advanced in congressional debate, and classmate and "best friend" Jed Rothstein qualified in international extemporaneous speaking after their performances in the Minnesota District Meet, held in Grand Rapids earlier this month.

Senior Sara Morgan also advanced as far as the semifinal round of international extemp.

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In the overall district team competition for the year’s events, STMA placed fifth of the 22 district teams, and was one of only six schools to have multiple qualifiers. District competition included speech, congressional debate, and regular debate.

"This has just been a great year, and a lot of it is due to the dedication of these kids and the work they put in each week," said co-coach Miller. 

For Goodchild, it's a dream come true. Though just a freshman, Goodchild new he would be drawn to debate and speech/student Congress because of his vast interest in politics. 

Rothstein  came along for the ride.

"It's all [Cody's] fault," he said with a smile. "He saw the poster the first day of school." 

The poster was for debate, which wrapped up its season last fall. That rolled over to speech, which is where the duo has scored its big success. 

"We've been best friends for as long as we can remember," Goodchild said. "We get excited about things that other people might not. I think we feed off each other." 

Frickstad said he's never had students so excited to see "The Economist" in his magazine each week. 

"You pick it up and there's a couple of pages of domestic policy, which you can use, and the rest is international stuff, which you can also use," Rothstein said. 

Morgan, meanwhile, has honed her skills in informative speech. She educates people about one of her favorite artists, Leonardo DaVinci

"He just has a side that people probably don't know about," Morgan said. 

Though Morgan didn't make the national tournament, she's ranked, nationally, in the Top 12 speakers, a high honor. Speakers gather points throughout the year based on criteria put in place by the NFL.

As for the two qualifiers, the reality has set in - they're headed to a very big stage.

"This is the largest academic competition in the nation, if not the world," Frickstad said. "There will be 5,000 speakers and coaches there, from all over the country and several different nations, including China." 

Goodchild said it's a dream come true.

"I think, learning that I'd made it, that was the happiest moment of my life. I was pretty much a goof for about four hours. I'm probably still goofy over it," he said. 

Rothstein has remained a bit more grounded as he looked to the summer. 

"It's going to be a great roadtrip in June," he said. 

Last weekend, the team dominted its home turf, winning plenty of hardware at the "St. Elvis" Tournament.

For the first time ever in team history, two people won championship medals in two different categories and one medaled in three different categories. Isaac Heieie and Mike Papas won the championship in duo expression and in an individual championship, Heieie in prose and Papas in impromptu. Papas also won the third place medal in storytelling.

Other multiple award winners were Katrina Budde (extemporaneous reading and duo), Sara Morgan (informative and non-original oratory), Nicole Logeais (impromptu and humorous),  Leah Andrews (creative expression and impromptu), Alina Chanthamontry (discussion and duo), Jake Tambornino (informative and non-original oratory), Betsy Bartholomew (poetry and non-original oratory), Katelyn Blais (duo and poetry)and Alex Brown (duo and drama).

Medal winners were the following:

First place –Isaac Heieie/Mike Papas, duo; Katrina Budde, extemporaneous reading; Cody Goodchild, extemporaneous speaking; Mike Papas, impromptu; Sara Morgan, informative; and Isaac Heieie, prose.

Second place – Jed Rothstein, extemporaneous speaking; Gabrielle Thompson, great speeches; Alisha Cole, humorous; and Nicole Logeais, impromptu.

Third place – Leah Andrews, creative expression, impromptu; Bayden Mire, discussion; Sydney Carlisle/Alina Chanthamontry, duo; Conrad Weinzetl, great speeches; Nicole Logeais, humorous; Sara Morgan, non-original oratory; Erika Duley, prose; and Mike Papas, storytelling.

The team will compete for state glory - a bit backward, they admit - when they host the Section 5AA Speech Tournament at the St. Michael-Albertville Performing Arts Center Tuesday, April 5.

"They'll still be ready to go. It's a young team, but it's very focused when it has to be," Frickstad said.  


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