Southland College Prep Advances to Speech Sectionals in 14 Events

Southland College Prep Charter High School junior Nina Washington’s two first place finishes propelled the team Saturday to a third place finish in the Lemont regional of the Illinois High School Association 2023 State Speech Championship tournament.

Washington led the competitive field with a first-place finish in “Prose Reading” and teamed with junior Christian Boyd to place first in the “Dramatic Duet Acting” category. Junior Myka Moore earned first place in “Dramatic Interpretation” as Southland advances to sectionals in 14 events total.

Boyd and Washington defended their regional championship from last year; Moore brought to bear last year’s valuable experience to top her field.

Boyd advanced in the “Radio Speaking” event with a third-place finish; the junior took first place as a sophomore in 2022.

Southland’s “Performance In the Round” team set the tone early Saturday with a strong third-place finish, one of four scored on the day. Performance in the Round is a unique event exclusive to the IHSA in which a small group of student performers complete an interpretation of a script in a finite circular performance area with student direction as vital as student performance.

Southland’s “Performance In the Round” team delivered a carefully coordinated routine from the Disney film “Moana” about an adventurous teenager who is determined to accept a daring on-the-seas mission of saving her island people. Moana’s journey begins with a chance meeting of the once-mighty demigod Maui and concludes with the lead character’s self-realization during a grueling quest to reach her ancestors.

“Tradition marches on as our team members embrace the high standards set by schools in these IHSA events,” said Cheryl Frazier, Southland’s head speech coach, assisted by Malik Bibbie. “The demand for dramatic expression and exact articulation is quite the challenge for young people, and we applaud all the performances at the Lemont regional, which readies us for the road ahead every year.”

Advancing to sectionals:

Nina Washington - Dramatic Prose Reading - 1st Place

Nina Washington & Christian Boyd - Dramatic Duet Acting - 1st Place

Myka Moore - Dramatic Interpretation - 1st Place

Itohan Salami – Original Oratory 3rd Place

Nehemiah James - Extemporaneous Speaking - 4th Place

Makierah Stuckey & Jayla Martin - Humorous Duet Acting - 3rd Place

Kaiden Rice - Humorous Interpretation - 3rd Place

Ashlee Cooper - Informative Speaking - 4th Place

Jeremiah Smith - Original Comedy - 4th Place

Courtney Clemons - Oratorical Declamation – 2nd Place

Christian Boyd – Radio Speaking – 3rd Place

Courtney Clemons – Poetry Reading - 3rd Place

Jeremiah Smith – Special Occasion Speaking - 4th Place

Performance in the Round - 3rd Place

This year’s student participants include as directors for Performance in the Round included: Javon Smith, Cara Aljoe and Shantina Lowe

“It’s astonishing that in only the second year back performing live after the pandemic that these young students have such presence on stage,’ said Dr. Blondean Y. Davis, CEO of Southland College Prep Charter High School. “Mrs. Frazier draws performances from our young people levels of excellence they didn’t know were in them.”