Sears Wins State Title In Speech Event
If you heard a big cheer from Wolf Point High School on Saturday, Jan. 30, it was due to the announcement that Daniel Sears earned the Class B state speech championship in the category of spontaneous oral interpretation.
Wolf Point’s speech and drama advisor Wendy Connelley explained that the excitement of the Wolf Point High School junior taking first wasn’t only felt in Wolf Point but rather throughout Eastern Montana.
“Daniel is such a fun and sociable person,” Conelley explained. “People from across Eastern Montana were cheering him on.”
Sears added, “All these people you meet are like extensions of your family.”
The state competition, like meets all through this school year, was held virtually. The awards ceremony was also conducted virtually, so students were glued to their computer screens as the announcements were made.
Wolf Point’s two other speech and drama participants also earned state recognition. There were 20 contestants in each category. Wolf Point placed seventh in speech out of 44 teams.
Angelica Sutton, a senior, earned third place in Lincoln Douglas debate.
Delano Eymard, a freshman, took 13th place in dramatic solo.
“I was very pleased with the team. They all worked hard,” Connelley said.
Sears, who also won the divisional title this year, placed third at both the divisional and state levels as a sophomore.
He decided to join the team as a sophomore, but he first started in the debate areas. “Then I realized I was not open minded enough to debate both sides,” he said.
In spontaneous oral interpretation, contestants get five minutes to read over the topic’s materials and then have five minutes to prepare their presentation. One topic at the state competition was the Freedom Riders Diary. The topic in the finals round was Havre High School’s commencement address.
“I did better than I usually do with speeches,” Sears said.
Connelley explained, “Daniel prefers pieces that our more humorous or where he can put in different voices.”
Next year, Sears might stay in the same category or try something in the humorous field instead. “It’s up to Daniel,” Connelley said.
“Speech and drama is a bit of an outlet for my pent-up energy,” Sears said. After high school, he wants a career in either medicine or acting.
