Mead Picks Up Second Championship In Three Years At Speech Comptetion
Mead students won three of the eight individual titles at the speech tournament, domination as impressive as the heralded Mead crosscountry teams.
T he set-up: two old Vaudeville cronies, attempting a reunion.
One hates the other for his habits of spitting during conversation and jabbing his partner to make a point. The other, an egotist who wants to own the stage.
The reunion devolves into hilarious characterizations. Neil Simon lines fly off the stage like confetti.
You couldn’t tell Jamie Moshin and Derek Farmer are high school kids on stage, performing the eight-minute sketch last weekend at the state speech tournament in Tacoma.
“You could just see two crotchety old men up there when they do it,” said speech coach Penny Johnston.
The Mead High seniors first place in the dual interpretation category for the slap-stick routine, helped their team pick up its second state speech championship in three years. Mead took second last year.
Mead students won three of the eight individual titles at the speech tournament, domination as impressive as the heralded Mead cross-country teams.
The title was a labor of love, said Johnston and her students.
“These kids are workaholics,” said Johnston.
“All our free time is in the debate room,” said Moshin.
The speech tournament is a free-wheeling affair, with impromptu and humorous interpretation categories. Mead senior Kelli Vail won the expository speaking category for a tongue-in-cheek speech on cats.
Among the other awards to the Mead team: senior Meena Nandagopal, first place in oratory; senior Jesse Discoll, second places in extemporaneous and impromptu speaking; and senior Ben Voight, third place in extemporaneous speaking and fourth place in impromptu speaking.
The team is now cramming for the state debate tournament next weekend.
The tournament, also in Tacoma. is stuffed with heavy topics and structure. The Mead team will debate the juvenile justice system, among other things.
“If you want high level critical thinking, it’s debate,” said Johnston.
Two win PaceSetter awards
Shadle Park senior Crystle Keenan and Mead High senior Matthew Barton nabbed PaceSetter awards for their success in the Pathways program, a school-to-work funnel in the Spokane area public schools.
Keenan is an honor student who works in a shoe store and is a member of the Shadle dance team.
Barton managed a student store at Mead, which operated on a budget of nearly $100,000. He also volunteers for the Wishing Star Foundation and some local retirement groups.
Science Bowl all-star
Shadle Park’s Eli Barrett was named to the BPA Science Bowl all-star team for answering 25 correct questions. The science bowl was held in Portland last weekend.
Auction benefits Deer Park High
An auction benefiting the Deer Park High School technology budget will be held March 22 in the Deer Park Eagles hall.
Among the items in the silent auction: a mystery dinner, ad space in the Deer Park Tribune and Deer Park High School paper, an Irish doll and a stack of other gift certificates.
Tickets for dinner - chicken fried steak, rolls and vegetables - are $5. Pie by the slice is $1.
The Deer Park High jazz band will provide background music.
Proceeds will pay for computers to fill out the district network.
Call Deer Park High at 276-2959 for more information.
, DataTimes MEMO: Education Notebook is a regular feature of the North Side Voice. If you have news about an interesting program or activity at a North Side school or about the achievements of North Side students, teachers or school staff, please let us know. Deadline is Monday. Write: Jonathan Martin, Education Notebook, North Side Voice, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. E-mail: jonathanm@spokesman.com. Call: 459-5484. Fax: 459-5482.