Speech team earns four Division I ratings at state

New Hampton’s large group speech season came to an end last Monday when its coaches and team members learned that none of its entries had received a nomination to the All-State Speech Festival.
New Hampton’s coach, though, said her team had no reason to hang its collective head.
Four of New Hampton’s groups earned a Division I rating at the state contest that was held in Dubuque on Saturday, Feb. 8, but coach Kassie Bercik knew an all-state invitation was a long shot because none of the groups scored a “straight,” Division I rating; instead, each group received I ratings from two judges and a II from the other judge.
For more on this story see the February 18 Tribune.