The Panorama High School Large-Group Speech Team had six of seven groups qualify for the state competition Wednesday night.

The groups performing Reader’s Theater, Musical Theater, Choral Reading, Improvisation and both Ensemble groups earned a score of one. The television news group earned a score of two.

Speech coaches Deb Arganbright, Krista Gafkjen and Chris Helm were all impressed with their students’ performances and thrilled with the opportunity to compete.

Gajkjen says performing at the school gave the students an advantage.

“The nerves were still flying just like they would for any competition anywhere they would go. But, it was used to their advantage. The performances I saw they all did really well and worked together.”

Helm said he was surprised the students were as nervous as they were, but the butterflies boosted their performances.

“The nerves just take it to the next level. We’re used to rehearsing this material. They’ve seen it for weeks, sometimes months now. It can get a little stale if they don’t get that push from having an audience in front of them.”

Arganbright was especially happy to have the competition this year because it gives the students the ability to flex speech as a life skill.

“To see that growth is especially satisfying if it’s a kid that’s really shy, then they kind of come out of their shell. It’s satisfying too for kids who aren’t so shy, and they’re naturals at it.That’s satisfying too since they find their niche and they find a place for themselves.”

Here are the students in each group:

Reader’s Theatre: Employees Must Wash Hands Before Murder

• Emma Johnston, Senior

• Hailey Meacham, Senior

• Lauren Soll, Senior

• Shekynah Haworth, Senior

• Cassidy Hoehne, Senior

• Paige Cmellik, Senior

• Gracie Phillips, Junior

• Kevin Cogil, Junior

• Abbi Holloway, Junior

Musical Theater: Theory of Relativity

• Sami Moretnsen, Senior

• Corven Benshoof, Senior

• Cassidy Hoehne, Senior

• Lauren Soll, Senior

• Stephanie Livesay, Sophomore

Choral Reading: Reflections

• Kylie Doran, Sophomore

• Valerie Nichols, Sophomore

• Avery Bahrenfuss, Freshman

• Leah Fett, Senior

• Kaidyn Dencklau, Sophomore

• Lindsey Meyer, Sophomore

• Patricia Underwood, Sophomore

• Caitlin Sloss, Sophomore

• Evie Greenlee, Sophomore

• Abbi Holloway, Junior

Group Improvisation: Ours

• Wyatt Clark, Senior

• Ethan Hafner, Senior

• Isaac Jarnagin, Senior

Ensemble: A Last Night on Earth

• Emma Wasson, Junior

• Danae Yates, Sophomore

Ensemble: Swipe Left

• Ruby Hummel, Senior

• Hekynah Haworth, Senior

• Wyatt Clark, Senior

Television News: LNS

• Keira Simmons, Sophomore

• Austin Block, Junior

• Jackson Peasley, Junior

• Parker Nunn, Junior

• Maddox Nunn, Freshman

• Josh Van Winkle, Junior

• Kyle McClatchey, Junior

• Sofia Hunt, Junior

• Kevin Cogil, Junior

• Valerie Nichols, Sophomore

• Patricia Underwood, Sophomore

• Sami Mortensen, Senior