Danville, Ryle Win State Speech Titles At WKU Competition

March 19, 2008

Bowling Green, Ky. - Danville High School and Larry A. Ryle High School won state championships during the Kentucky High School Speech League’s senior tournament at Western Kentucky University March 13-15.

More than 500 speakers and interpreters from 45 high schools competed in more than 650 events in the tournament, which has been held at WKU for two decades.

For the third straight year, Danville won the sweepstakes championship, based on cumulative performances in 13 individual events. Coach Steve Meadows’ team scored 238 points, significantly ahead of second place Grant County, which had 165 points, and third-place Louisville Assumption with 138 points.

Finishing fourth through 10th among the 41 high schools competing were, in order, Lexington Paul Dunbar, Graves County, Boone County, Lexington Lafayette, Knott County Central, East Jessamine and Lexington Henry Clay.

Earlier in the three-day tournament, Larry A. Ryle High School of Boone County won the state debate championship. The team coached by Eric Blankenship and Durrell “Butch” Hamm scored 100 points, more than doubling the point total of second-place Danville. Defending state champion Henry Clay placed third with Grant County fourth, Scott County fifth and South Oldham sixth.

KHSSL has chosen a debate champion since 1921 and a sweepstakes champion since 1976.

Sacred Heart Academy of Louisville won the Horizon Award for the best performance by a school with a relatively small group of competitors. Others honored in this division were June Buchanan School, Kentucky Country Day of Louisville, Beechwood High School and Harrison County High School.

Danville also received the traveling trophy signifying the Sustained Excellence Award for success over the years.
Individual state champions were Stephen Hicks of Paul Dunbar in both  Storytelling and Poetry Interpretation, Tyler Olinger of Hazard in Oratorical Declamation, Sarah Wright of Conner in Solo Acting, Sirena Wurth of Graves County in Prose Interpretation, Hunter Kendrick of Danville in Impromptu Speaking, Amelia Reesor of Assumption in Original Oratory, Jill Richardson and Chrisena Ricci of Lafayette in Improvisational Duo, Amanda Moler of Danville in Humorous Interpretation, Sebastain Pyrek of Danville in Extemporaneous Speaking, Grant Wallace and Leeann Kenney of Grant County in Duo Interpretation, Kyle Snapp of Danville in Dramatic Interpretation, and John Cowgill of Henry Clay in Broadcast Announcing.

Debate champions were Elizabeth Fryman of Henry Clay in Varsity Lincoln Douglas, Helen Sauer of Henry Clay in Novice Lincoln Douglas, the team of Jacob Delong and Andrew Muscha of Scott County in Varsity Policy, and
Caitlin Lacey and Carly Lacey of Grant County in Novice Policy.

Sebastain Pyrek of Danville took first place in Student Congress.

A highlight of the awards ceremony is always the presentation of the Blyton Scholarships and the Blyton Book Award. They are given in honor of Dr. Gifford Blyton, the longtime University of Kentucky debate coach who was executive director of KHSSL for many years. The Lexington resident will be 100 years old this summer. Hunter Kendrick of Danville and Lauren Wolfe of North Oldham were recipients of the scholarships.

Abby Middleton of Fort Thomas Highlands won the Blyton Book Award.

The Kentucky High School Speech League, Inc. encourages all students to participate in academic competition, receiving an understanding of and appreciation for worthwhile speech, drama, and debate. KHSSL enhances and refines students' skills in acting, speaking, listening, and critical thinking, and provides an arena for extracurricular competition in speech, drama, and debate.

KHSSL is coordinated by the Communication Department of WKU, led by Dr. Sally Ray.
               
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Jim Turner at (270) 745-3296.