Sometimes the hardest part of a journey in life is taking that first step: deciding to actually do something! That would have to be the hardest decision that all of the Wagner Oral Interpretation students would have to make... It’s taking that first step, deciding that, “Yes, I am going to go out for Oral Interp.” This tiny decision is the first step to unlocking so many doors for these students. You see, when these kids take on such a major task in choosing to be in Oral Interp, they are knocking through barriers that many other kids, as well as adults, may never be able to conquer. They are taking on public speaking and doing it in the best way possible; through Oral Interpretation.

The State Oral Interp Meet was held on Dec. 3-4 in Huron, SD.

The Wagner Oral Interp Team really worked hard this year and took on great challenges in public speaking with several of the Oral Interp students taking on more than one role/category. The results of the state oral interp meet are as follows:

The performances taken to state by Wagner were in the categories of Drama: Jenny Barnett, Reader’s Theater: Jackson Rolston, Trenton Rolston, Presley Slaba, and Macee Stimpson, Storytelling: Presley Slaba, Non-original Oratory: Kathryn Doom, Duet: Presley Slaba and Jackson Rolston, Humorous: Trenton Rolston, and Poetry: Jenny Barnett.

Receiving a medal in their category by earning a composite superior rating were:

~Jenny Barnett in Drama. She chose a powerfully packed interpretation of “I’ll Always Know Where You Are.”

~Kathryn Doom in Non-Original Oratory with her “Steven Jobs’ 2005 Commencement Address”

~Trenton Rolston in Humorous. He had a hilarious account of a young man attending a Comic book character convention in “Geek Fight.”

~Jenny Barnett with her amazing selection of poems based on “Feminism.”

With the team taking home their superior awards, and having points earned in every category at state, they also received The 2021 Team Excellence Award. This is an honor of the highest level for any team attending the state event.

This has been a very rewarding Oral Interp Season for the coaches and the students. The community and parental support throughout this season has been phenomenal. Working with this elite group of students has been an awesome experience. Both Coach Mudder and Coach Slaba were proud to be their coaches this season.