Brenna Seidl (left) and Payton Taylor (right)

Four students between Perry and Adel-DeSoto-Minburn High Schools will be attending the Iowa High School Speech Association All-State Festival on Monday.

Perry Speech Coach Mandy Meyers notes that sophomore Genesis Gonzalez and senior Andres Zarate were nominated to participate as Gonzalez made it in Acting, while Zarate qualified in Radio News Announcing. 

According to ADM Speech Coach Jacque Seidl, her daughter Brenna, who is a junior was nominated to perform in Public Address and senior Payton Taylor will be going for Literary Program at the festival. Brenna, who is a first-time qualifier for All-State, tells Raccoon Valley Radio what her emotions were like prior to her taking the stage in Ames for the state competition.

“I was pretty nervous. My piece is memorization, so I was pretty nervous just remembering everything and there was a lot of people there, but it seemed like once I got up there, I felt pretty confident, like my nerves went away once I actually got in the room and in front of everyone. I knew the stuff and I felt confident in my piece after my performance.”

Taylor, who is also a first-time All-State qualifier, is happy yet torn about her final high school performance.

“Awww, it’s hard. It’s really bittersweet. I don’t want to be done and I’ll definitely come back and watch my girls next year, but I’m excited for the feedback and I’m kind of excited for that final like ‘hurrah,’ the last performance making it all the way as far as you can, this is essentially a state championship. So, just knowing that I did my all and that I’m getting recognized for it.”

The four students from Perry and ADM will present their pieces during the All-State Festival on Monday on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.