The Spencer Middle School Commons was the setting, and Spencer High School's speech and drama students were the cast of characters for the 2007-08 Annual Speech and Drama Awards Banquet held on Sunday, May 4.

The evening began with the awarding of Spencer Community Theatre's annual scholarships, which were presented by SCT Executive Director, Connie Goeken. This scholarship goes to high school students in the area, who have been active in their high school's theatre program, and plan to continue their education in a related area at the college level. This year's SCT $500 scholarship winner was Kim Steffen

Awards in Individual Speech were then presented by Arla Kintigh and Becky Koenig, individual speech coaches, who gave out certificates to students for their accomplishments at the district and state contests and the All-State Festival of the Iowa High School Speech Association, as well as the following major individual speech awards:

Most Successful Award: Meghan Vosberg

Pete Anson Spirit Award: Mel Janssen

Most Motivating Award: Maggi Vodraska

Best Dedicated Award: Michael Seeley

Most Successful Freshman Girl: Chloe Brockshus

Most Successful Freshman Boy: John Wimmer

Most Succesful Newcomer: Mary Krull

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2007-08 HONOR THESPIANS:

FRONT ROW (L to R): Jon Davis, Scott McCord, Michael Seeley, Jon Gabhart, Tyler Steinkamp. ROW 2 (L to R): Brianna Wright, Anna Robison, Liz Taylor, Meghan Vosberg, Bailey Dean, Kelsey Stoever. ROW 3 (L to R): Amanda Veiseth, Kim Steffen, Maggi Vosdraska,Marybeth Quattlebaum, Jill Applegate, Megan Rustad, Alyssa Carlson, Melissa Janssen.

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Larry Untiet, head of the speech and drama departments, then reviewed the speech and drama activities for the 2007-2008 school year. The year began with the successful fall production of "The Sound of Music." The winter season of Large Group Speech marked the 33RD anniversary of the "Super State" All-State Festival, with Spencer High School being honored at the festival for being the only high school in the state of Iowa which has qualified and performed at all 33 festivals since its inception in 1975. The spring production featured the comedy classic, "The Man Who Came to Dinner."

Untiet noted that 150 students -- 45 seniors, 36 juniors, 36 sophomores, and 26 freshmen -- participated in speech and drama activities during the 2007-08 school year.

Certificates were handed out to those students who received Excellent "I", and "Outstanding Performance Awards" at the State Large Group Speech contest of the Iowa High School Speech Association, which was hosted by Fort Dodge High School this year.

The large group speech season was highlighted with all 16 of the 16 groups entered into the district contest advancing on to the state level. Of these 16 groups, 13 earned a "I" rating at the state contest and 5 of these 13 groups received "Outstanding Performance Awards" advancing them to the All-State Festival at Iowa State University in Ames. Those groups were choral reading, reader's theatre, solo mime, ensemble acting and group improvisation.

Untiet then awarded stars to all Thespians for their current level of achievement, and stars honor bars, and certificates to 20 Honor Thespians, who had put in 600 or more hours in speech and drama activities. Those honor Thespians and their current totals:

Thespian Point Total

(1 point equals 10 hours) are as follows:

Kim Steffen (280.4), Scott McCord (276.9), Isaac Brockshus (165.5), Meghan Vosberg (180.8), Mel Janssen (146.5), Jon Davis (139.4 )Amanda Veiseth (128.3), Elizabeth Taylor (115.1), Brianna Wright (105.9), Michael Seeley (105.6), Kelsey Stoever (100.9), Anna Robison(87.7), Aaron Bossow (84.9), Bailey Dean (84.4), Jill Applegate (83.0), Jonathan Gabhart (80.1), Alyssa Carlson (79.6), Maggi Vodraska (77.2), MarybethQuattlebaum (67.9), Megan Rustad (66.8), and Tyler Steinkamp (60.0).

Kim Steffen, Scott McCord and Meghan Vosberg's point totals also earned them spots on the Thespian Troupe #1763's Top 40" point totals in the history of Spencer High School Drama. Steffen's total moved her to number 3 on the the list, McCord at number 5, Vosberg at #25. Steffen's and McCord's point totals also put them into the Thespian "Hall of Fame", which is reserved for those students who have put in over 2000 hours (200 Points) in speech and drama activities during their four years at Spencer High School.

The next awards presented were to those students who earned Drama Letters for the 2007-2008school year. To earn a letter in drama, a student must have participated in the fall play, large group speech, and the spring play; put in at least 10 hours in set construction, painting or set strike; and have earned a minimum of 20 Thespian points (200 hours) during the 2007-2008 school year.

Drama Letters winners for 2007-2008 were as follows:

Front Row (L to R): Michael Seeley, Scott McCord, Morgan Kramer, Jon Gabhart, Joel Kaldahl, Tyler Steinkamp. Row 2 (L to R):Chris Coffman, Kim Steffen, Anna Robison, Jon Davis, Meghan Vosberg, Jill Applegate, Kelsey Stoever, Andrew Upah. Row 3 (L to R):Liz Dopenberg, Brianna Wright, Amanda Veiseth, Melissa Janssen, Maggi Vosdraska, Megan Rustad, Aylssa Carlson, Gabbi Speas.

Seniors: Kim Steffen (4th letter), Scott McCord (4th), Meghan Vosberg (4th),Amanda Veiseth (3rd), Jonathan Gabhart (3rd),Jon Davis (2nd), Brianna Wright (2nd), Maggi Vodraska (2nd), Tyler Steinkamp (1st), Liz Doppenberg (1st), Gabbi Speas (1st)

Juniors: Mel Janssen (3rd), Anna Robison (2nd), Michael Seeley (2nd), Jill Applegate (2nd), Chris Coffman (2nd), Aylssa Carlson (1st)

Sophomores: Kelsey Stoever (2nd), Megan Rustad (1st), Andrew Upah (1st), Joel Kaldahl (1st)

Freshmen: Morgan Kramer (1st)

Untiet then went on to present the major awards in drama, which were as follows:

2007-2008 LARGE GROUP SPEECH AND DRAMA AWARD WINNERS:

FRONT (L to R): Michael Seeley, Chris Coffman, Morgan Kramer, Chloe Brockshus, Becky Koenig . ROW 2 (L to R) Eileen Gengler, Anna Robison, Soctt McCord, Meghan Vosberg, Mary Krull, Kelsey Stoever. ROW 3 (L to R): Arla Kintigh, Kim Steffen, Amanda Veiseth, John Wimmer, Maggi Vodraska, Melissa Janssen, Jill Applegate, Larry Untiet. Not Pictured: Becky Conley, Jean Fischer, Katie Kardell.

Best Thespian (Senior): Scott McCord

Best Thespian (Junior): Jill Applegate

Best Actor: Scott McCord

Best Actress: Kim Steffen

Best Supporting Actor: Michael Seeley

Best Character Actor: Chris Coffman

Best Supporting Actress: Anna Robison

Best Character Actress: Meghan Vosberg

Fabulous Freshman Thespian: Morgan Kramer

Most Dedicated Sophomore Thespian: Kelsey Stoever

"Top 40" Thespian Point Total Inductees: Kim Steffen,Scott McCord, Meghan Vosberg

Thespian "Hall of Fame" Inductees: Kim Steffen, Scott McCord

4 Year "Outstanding Performance Award" Winners: Kim Steffen, Amanda Veiseth

"Outstanding Performer in Mime" 2005-2008: Madella Smith

"Outstanding Award in Technical Theatre 2005-2008: Scott McCord

"Outstanding Award in Theatrical Costuming 2005-2008: Amanda Veiseth, Maggi Vodraska

"Future Thespian" Theatre Appreciation Award: Emma Tighe, Daly Tighe, Seth Anderson, Katie Simpson

Honorary Thespians: Eileen Gengler, Becky Conley, Jean Fischer, Katie Kardell

SCT Scholarship Winner: Kim Steffen

"Zips of the Year": 2007-2008: Amanda Veiseith, Chris Coffman

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THESPIAN OFFICERS

FRONT (L to R): 2007-2008 OFFICERS: Kim Steffen (President), Soctt McCord (Vice President), Brianna Wright (Secretary), Amands Veiseth (Treasurer). ROW 2 (L to R): 2008-2009 OFFICERS: Michael Seeley (President), Melissa Janssen (Vice President), Jill Applegate (Secretary), Anna Robison (Treasurer).

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The evening concluded with the presentation of "The Last Will and Prophecy of Thespian Troupe No. 1763 for 2007-08," a spoofy look at the past year's events in speech and drama. This was presented by this year's Thespian Officers: President, Kim Steffen; Vice President, Scott McCord, Secretary, Brianna Wright; and Treasurer, Amanda Veiseth.

Following their humorous presentations, the officers seriously reflected on their past four years in speech and drama, and then passed on their office to those students who will take over for them in the 2008-2009 school year: President, Michael Seeley; Vice President, Melissa Janssen; Secretary, Jill Applegate; and Treasurer, Anna Robison.