March 29, 2024

Word play

Clarke students qualify for national speech competition

All it takes is making the right words flow one after the other.

Clarke’s speech team members Timber Kent and Nick Johnston qualified for the national speech competition in June in Dallas, Texas.

The Osceola Sentinel-Tribune had a chance to interview Johnston about his speech honors during a recent play practice at Clarke.

“Certainly, last year, I went to Kansas City, but it will be really nice to go to Texas,” Johnston said. “I’ve never been that far south and west before. So, it will be kind of exciting because Texas is kind of it’s own place.”

Johnston, a junior, will compete in a category called domestic extemporaneous speaking. Last year, he qualified in international extemporaneous speaking.

Kent qualified as a freshman this year to go in international extemporaneous speaking.

During competition, Johnston will have to walk into a room, draw a question and have 30 minutes to prepare with pre-gathered resources. Then, he has to answer the selected question in a five to seven minute speech.

“It’s obviously a lot of thinking on your feet, but also, structure a good speech,” Johnston said. “ … Still, it’s going to be rather difficult to make a speech in that time.”

This summer, competitors from across the nation will descend on Dallas, Texas, to engage in the national tournament, which is through National Speech and Debate Association. It was formerly known as the National Forensic League.

Johnston said there will be four competitors representing Iowa in domestic extemporaneous speech.

“It’s pretty exciting to get to go,” he said.

Meeting new people

One of the things Johnston said he’s looking forward to the most is meeting new people from across the nation.

“I went to nationals last year, and the different cultural experiences of everyone,” he said. “Just sitting down in a hallway talking with people who have accents. All these sorts of things. Stories of how they got there.”

To prepare, Johnston watches the news and keeps up with current politics. While there will be informational resources at Kent’s disposal, he said it’s better to have an understanding and basic knowledge of the many topics beforehand.

“It’s not like acting where you have a script. Every time you go in, it’s going to be something different,” Johnston said. “So, it’s kind of hard to prepare but it’s still possible at the same time — just keeping up with events, kind of knowing the questions before they come. If that makes any sense.”