Speaking their truth: LHS speech seniors ready to have the last word at state finals
Jennifer Anaya-Serrano recalled being too shy to ask to join the speech team when she was a freshman.
The Logansport High School senior said she couldn't even talk to her teachers she was so afraid.
With the support of her sister, she took the big step as a sophomore and joined the team. Saturday, she will compete in her third state finals and she said she had never felt as confident as she does now.
Overall, Logansport advanced 17 students to the state finals. They will compete across 24 different categories.
'Seventeen is a lot of kids. Twenty-four is a lot of entries,' said coach Jessica Kranz, an English teacher at LHS, as the team practiced Tuesday afternoon. 'I feel that ups our chances of doing well and if nothing else it increases the energy heading in. It's huge energy.'
'I feel like everyone on the team is just bouncing off of each other,' Anaya-Serrano said. 'I feel like energies are high and our spirit is even higher.'
When she joined speech, she said there were around 15 people on the team. That team would send eight members to the 2023 state finals and go on to finish in fifth place in the class AA team competition and 10th overall. In 2024, they sent 15 students and finished sixth.
Anaya-Serrano said that confidence she was feeling for the 2025 state finals was based on experience.
'I feel like the coaches on the speech team do such a good job instilling a sense of confidence within you and it bounces off everyone,' she said. 'There are people here who support you in everything you do. You can't help but believe in yourself when you are here.'
Those coaches include Kranz's mother Joyce Pasel, Chris Miller and Ashley Hayes. Together, they represent four generations of Berry speech. Pasel competed in the 1970s, Miller in the 1980s, Kranz in the 1990s and Hayes in the 2000s.
'We couldn't do what we do without all of us working together,' Kranz said.
Anaya-Serrano will compete in the impromptu and domestic extemporaneous categories Saturday. Both events require on-the-spot thinking. She won't know her topics until it's time for her to compete and she has limited time to develop a speech.
'It all comes right back to the speaking skills that I've learned,' she said. 'It all leads back to that confidence. I have such an audacity now that I'm sure if my freshman self could see me now, it would be almost incomprehensible to her.'
Aiden Snoeberger, a senior, has been one of the most reliable team members for Berry speech. He's the McCutcheon sectional champion in the radio broadcasting category and has two more recent first place finishes.
Radio broadcasting is based entirely on vocal performance and has competitors recording a radio segment.
It's Snoeberger's first time competing in radio broadcasting at state, but his second trip overall.
Snoeberger credited his time in theater as helping him develop as a speech competitor. And being a member of the speech team has helped him round out his social skills.
'It's broken me out of my shell,' he said. 'I think it's made me a lot more outspoken. My event is really reliant on my voice and I think (performing) has helped me with my voice and made it stronger.'
A four-year member of the team, Snoeberger said that public speaker wasn't his strong suit before joining. He started in the discussion category where he would have to debate other students at meets. He called the experience frightening.
Despite the confidence he gained through theater, he said he worried about how he would do during the 2024-25 speech session.
'If it didn't happen this year, it would have been disappointing but I had so much fun with speech that whatever place I get really doesn't matter in the end. It's the memories that really count.'
Senior Ared Ruiz, competing in humorous interpretation, said that he was approaching the state finals with the mindset to have fun.
'As long as I have fun it will be great,' he said.
Ruiz recalled heartbreak last year when he and some of his speech team friends didn't qualify for state.
'This entire team just feels like family,' he said. 'We all bring this great vibe to the team. It's a pretty big group and having them altogether at state is really amazing. I'm really happy that we have achieved so much this year.'
Alexa Sanchez-Agreda was practicing her informative speech about Henry the VIII and his wives, which was inspired by the hit Broadway musical 'Six.'
'I'm feeling excited but also anxious and sad at the same time because this is my last year,' she said afterwards.
She joined speech as a junior and she loved every moment she had experienced on the team. She was inspired to join after seeing what the 2023 team accomplished.
'I was like 'wow, they are great,'' she said. 'I'm really sad I didn't join it sooner.'
She was also excited to share the triumph of advancing to state with so many teammates.
'I feel a lot of us are close,' she said. 'It just means a lot because you get to see everyone succeed. You see them at sectionals make top six and you are like 'oh my gosh! We are all going to state together.'
The team will compete at Fishers High School beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday morning.
'Our speech team has built a legacy of excellence,' said Principal Matt Jones. 'Under the leadership of Coach Mrs. Jessica Kranz and her dedicated staff, they continue to raise the bar year after year. We graduate outstanding speech students, yet a new wave of talent is always ready to step up. It's truly impressive.'
'This senior class is very awesome because they aren't necessarily the kids who you would think are your public speakers,' said Kranz. 'They aren't the kids who you would think are your public performers. They aren't your theatrical stage kids. These are your kids who had something they needed to say. They had a truth. They had a story. They had a presentation they needed to put out there. They are a different crew in all the best ways possible. And we are so proud of them.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Archaeologists uncover never-before-seen tombs of ancient Egyptian officials — expected to boost tourism
Several tombs of high-ranking Ancient Egyptian officials were recently uncovered by local archaeologists, shedding new light on a bygone civilization. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the discovery in a Facebook post on May 26. It was translated from Arabic to English. Advertisement The tombs all date to the era of the New Kingdom, also known as the Egyptian Empire. They were found in the Draʻ Abu el-Naga site on the Nile River's West Bank in the Luxor Governorate. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, noted the names and titles of the decedents have all been identified, thanks to surviving inscriptions. 4 Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities / Facebook 'The mission will continue cleaning and studying the remaining inscriptions in the tombs to gain a deeper understanding of their owners and to study and publish the findings scientifically,' he added. Advertisement The first tomb belonged to a man named Amenemopet from the Ramesside Period, which lasted from 1292 to 1069 B.C. He worked in a temple dedicated to Amun, a highly venerated Egyptian god. 4 Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities / Facebook Most of the hieroglyphics in Amenemopet's tomb were destroyed, but the ministry noted that the remaining ones 'depict scenes of offering sacrifices, a depiction of the funerary furniture procession, and a banquet scene.' Advertisement 'One belongs to a person named 'Paki,' who worked as a supervisor of the grain silo, and the other to a person named 'Is,' who worked as a supervisor of the Amun temple in the oases, mayor of the northern oases, and a scribe,' the statement noted. Amenemopet's tomb also consisted of a small courtyard and an entrance with a square hall. 4 Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities / Facebook The tombs of both Paki and Is also had courtyards, in addition to shafts. Advertisement In a statement, Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy said the discovery 'enhances Egypt's position on the global cultural tourism map.' 'These discovered tombs are among the sites that will significantly contribute to attracting more visitors, especially those who are fans of cultural tourism, due to their distinctive civilizational and human value,' he noted. The discovery comes on the heels of several recent exciting finds in Egypt. 4 Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities / Facebook In April, a University of Pennsylvania professor spoke with Fox News Digital about unearthing the tomb of an unknown pharaoh near Abydos. Earlier in May, officials announced the discovery of ancient military fortifications that dated back to the Ptolemaic and Roman eras of Egyptian history.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Hiring teachers from the Philippines could mean brain drain for Filipino schools
Kids at Pajo Elementary School, a few hours drive from Manila. (Photo by Brian Venua/KMXT) Alaska school districts hiring from the Philippines are taking some of the country's best and brightest teachers. It's a win for Alaska kids, but what does that mean for students back in Southeast Asia? KMXT's Brian Venua explores brain drain and brain gain in Part 5 of a five part audio series, Mabuhay sa Alaska. When Alaska school administrators toured Pajo Elementary School, each class greeted them by welcoming them to the Philippines in both English and in Filipino. The administrators were there to see what the teachers they hire from the Philippines experience before moving to Alaska. But the students are the other side of that story — These are kids that get left behind when Filipino teachers are hired abroad. When recruiters opened up appointments for screening, all 720 spots were filled in just 16 minutes. The only advertising was a few posts on social media. But one consequence of hiring abroad is fewer quality teachers in the Philippines — a phenomenon known as brain drain. Conversely, Alaska gets brain gain. Hiring teachers has largely been a success for the state's kids. Recruiters on the 2025 trip picked some of the most highly educated teachers from the island nation. Kodiak Island Borough School District, for example, has more doctorate degrees from its 30 or so Filipino teachers than it does from its over 300 American hires. 'We were impressed with the quality of teachers that we met over there. And we were able to choose – from there – the top of the top,' said Cyndy Mika, the district's superintendent. She said there have been more remarkable candidates than they can hire during recruiting trips. It's hard to say what the impact is on the Philippines, though. Mika said that so far, a surplus of workers in the Philippines is helping address her district's shortage. 'A lot of the teachers that we interviewed in the Philippines, when they first got their start, it was as a volunteer teacher,' she said. 'They weren't being paid because there weren't jobs. They're producing too many teachers.' But Mika is concerned that taking so many highly qualified teachers could create a sort of skill ceiling there, if the country's best teachers keep leaving for Alaska and other destinations. That doesn't change that her priority is the kids in the community where she works. 'My number one concern as a superintendent in Kodiak is getting the best quality teachers we can in front of our students,' she said. 'If we didn't have these Filipino teachers, who would we have?' She said that without international hires, vacant teacher positions would lead to smaller teacher-to-student ratios and more burnout for her staff. Remittance and returning teachers It's not a one-way street, though. Many Filipinos working abroad send a lot of money home – 8% of the country's economy, according to some reports. Their experience, professional development and cultural knowhow gained in the U.S. is valuable, too, and sometimes comes back. Edna Auxtero is the administrator for Tagaytay Christian Academy, a private school about a two-hour drive from Manila. She said hiring Filipino teachers is a huge compliment to the country's educational system. 'I'm so proud that they're even interested to get Filipinos,' Auxtero said. 'That's always my dream – that the priority for employment in other countries are Filipinos.' TCA's principal, and many of its teachers, are alumni. Auxtero hopes some of them will go to Alaska someday and return with new skills. 'My hope is that they will come back to build the nation and impart all their knowledge, experiences to the next generation so that Philippines will rise up also,' she said. 'They can expect that for teachers under J1 visas,' said Serjoe Gutierrez, a Kodiak music teacher and one of the district's first direct hires from the Philippines. J1 visas require international hires to go back to their home countries after a few years. But Gutierrez, and many others, are on potential paths to permanent residency through H1B visas. But he still thinks about kids he taught at a private school in Iloilo City. 'I do worry, sometimes,' Gutierrez said. He thought about it even before coming to Alaska. 'I was thinking about it before resigning, but I told myself it's for me. The kids, they would gain more experience – they're still young. But I'm not getting any younger, so I need to do something for myself, too.' Kodiak is his home now. 'I do love my country. I do love the Philippines, but I think being a teacher in Kodiak – being here in Alaska – opened a lot of opportunities for me,' he said. He said he's not sure he would have had the same chances to travel and play piano and violin publicly in the Philippines. He hopes to be one of the first to get a green card through the school and stay in the U.S. indefinitely. This story was originally published by KMXT, as part five of a five part audio series, Mabuhay sa Alaska.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Opinion: What Employers Want, Project-based Learning Can Deliver
Dear high school and college students, Are you a good communicator? Can you effectively lead a team of your peers? Can you think critically about issues, ask questions, and find solutions to complex problems? If so, we're looking for you. Apply now if you can show evidence of teamwork, creativity, and a strong work ethic. We don't need 'good test-takers' or the highest GPA. No experience? No problem. We will train you. We want employees who know how to learn, think, and lead. We want employees with the skills to help our company succeed both now and in the future. Are you up for the challenge? Sincerely, Every Industry in America Today's education system fails to adequately prepare many students for college and the workforce. One survey found less than a quarter of high school graduates believe their schooling prepared them for life after graduation. Meanwhile, employers want candidates with '21st Century Skills,' but are coming up short. In recent years, however, there has been a promising shift as many states re-evaluate how to prepare students for the world. Twenty states and hundreds of districts have created 'Portraits of a Graduate' outlining the skills students should have by graduation such as communication, problem-solving, critical thinking and collaboration. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Meanwhile, the landscape of K-12 assessments is also shifting. Last year when New York set a timeline to eliminate the requirement that students pass the Regents Exam in order to graduate, it joined a growing number of states that have ended reliance solely on exit exams as a condition of graduation. Instead, states are increasingly embracing measures such as performance-based assessments which measure both what students know and whether they can apply that knowledge. These students demonstrate their skills through completing a project or performing a certain activity, which can include. essays, portfolios or research papers. With the right support, these changes can effectively prepare students for the workforce of tomorrow. We have seen this happen in schools that have taken a project-based learning approach to instruction and assessment. For instance, the rural Adair County School District in Kentucky launched an initiative to help students build skills outlined in the state's portrait of a graduate and create a 'culture of inquiry.' In one project, high school English and business classes, led by teachers Amy South and JR Thompson, worked together to research local industries and community businesses, interview business owners, analyze marketing strategies and develop comprehensive plans for promoting the community and its local businesses to outsiders. As part of the process, students were introduced to the concept of a 'strong hook' to capture interest and then divided into two teams. Each team worked collaboratively to propose a value proposition and refine their marketing strategies. They were then required to pitch their ideas and plans, ultimately narrowing down their focus to two distinct community projects. They presented their final pitches live to a jury, which selected one — a Marketing Day Vendor Fair — to be implemented in the community. The project culminated in students hosting an event at the high school showcasing local businesses The Thomas Edison CTE High School in Queens, New York, is currently a mentor school for the New York State Department of Education, training other schools to develop performance-based assessments. It uses a project-based learning model in which students engage in real-world and personally meaningful projects. It developed a framework and 'essential skills' rubric that assesses both how well students know the content and whether they can demonstrate essential skills of communication, collaboration, feedback and reflection, design thinking and professionalism. Related These are just two examples of schools that are leading the way in making sure students are prepared for the world by the time they graduate. We need more stories like this. Instead of focusing on cuts to education, we need to continue the momentum happening in New York and elsewhere by supporting and growing these innovative programs. We call on parents, caregivers, students, schools, districts, boards of education, policy makers and government agencies to focus on these key areas to ensure the momentum continues and the changes last Professional development and capacity building: Institutions must ensure all teachers have ample time for professional development around performance-based curriculum and assessments as well as ongoing professional support. Buy-in at all levels is required in order to strengthen the system and build the capacity needed to make the shift toward building and measuring real-world skills. Funding: Re-defining student success — and how to assess it — will require investment. State leaders must ensure that there is funding to provide the staffing, training, curriculum and resources to support implementing performance-based assessments. Stakeholder alignment: K-12 schools, local industries and higher education institutions must be aligned on which skills are important for career and college readiness. Communications: Some students may resist performance-based assessments because they have learned how to navigate the current system and do well on tests. Communicating effectively to students and families will help to shift mindsets and make the process smoother. Change is slow, but worth it. It will take persistence. There must be a willingness from all involved to hold the line and know it might take 10 years for this new way of assessing student learning to fully take hold. We are experiencing a rare opportunity to change education and improve student success. This work must be intentional, evidence-based, and supported at all levels. We implore education leaders, policy makers, schools, districts and communities to lay the groundwork now to ensure students have a successful future and can respond to the 'letter to high school and college graduates' with a resounding 'Yes.'
