Theatre Students Deserve an Encore
Liberty’s advanced theatre class, Encore, prevailed as tournament champions in eight out of the nine categories in an annual speech tournament held Jan. 13 and 14 at Stone Gate Christian Academy in Irving.
“This year, by a margin of 500 points, Encore students were unstoppable in their talents throughout the entire weekend,” said Misty Baptiste, Fine Arts Department Chair.
“This group of students is incredibly talented, dedicated, hardworking, and creative,” she said. “They deserve this honor more than words can say.”
Liberty Christian students have competed in this tournament for more than a decade, and Baptiste said each year students develop their public speaking skills, as well as learn time and stress management.
“These skills will be so beneficial to them throughout their lives,” she said. “They also see firsthand how much the Lord blesses hard work that is put into every activity.”
Students will compete next at the TAPPS District Speech/Academic Contest hosted by Bishop Lynch High School in Dallas on Feb. 17 and 20. Those that place in the top five at district will advance to the state tournament on March 30-31 at Concordia University in Austin.
Individual Stone Gate winners include:
Children’s Literature
Tournament Champion – Malyn Porter
Third place – Gabby Marye
Duet Acting
Tournament Champion – Catherine Harrington and Benn Hawkins
Second place – Austin Mann and Emmy Edwards
Group Improvisation
Tournament Champion – Ian Harber, Cole Carrick, Connor Devlin, and Bryan Gray
Second place – Ross Earley, Austin Mann, and Benn Hawkins
Original Oratory
Tournament Champion – Ian Harber
Second place – Connor Devlin
Persuasive Speaking
Tournament Champion – Cole Carrick
Poetry Interpretation
Second place – Alexandra Stewart
Third place – Hannah Johnson
Prose Interpretation
Tournament Champion – Emmy Edwards
Third place – Katelynn Pearson
Reader’s Theatre
Tournament Champion – Cole Carrick, Hailey Vittrup, and Hannah Johnson
Solo Acting
Tournament Champion – Catherine Harrington
Second place – Malyn Porter
Third place – Ross Earley