The Top 25 results are in, and nine out of seventeen HHS students placed in the rankings. Bella Teston and Natalie Beck tied for first place in a three-way tie. HHS science teacher Mrs. Tina Mondino also earned recognition, winning a three-way tie for Coach of the Year. Mrs. Mondino has coached the team for more than 25 years.
This year marks the final year for team captains Bella Teston, Zech Underwood, Natalie Beck, and Briley Holbrook. HHS Speech has been a staple at the school for over 30 years, requiring dedication from all members, including weekly meetings with coaches, early mornings, and late nights.
For many team members, speech can be intimidating, especially for newcomers. Senior Natalie Beck offered advice for those starting out: “Speech is intimidating enough as it is, don’t be afraid to be bold. Being true to your personality and yourself as a performer will take you far—you just have to have the confidence to try.”
The HHS Speech team has traveled across Illinois for tournaments this season, competing in eight events, ranging from Benton to Bolingbrook. The travel has provided an opportunity to form lasting friendships with students from other schools. When asked about their favorite speech memories, freshman Sonni Keating shared, “My favorite memory was eating food with my speech friends from other schools!” Sophomore Noah Billman offered a different perspective: “I’ve really enjoyed doing my events this season, because of the people in my events. I enjoy competing with people from other schools.”
One thing the entire team agrees on: speech is both fun and beneficial for their future endeavors. Next the team will get the chance to shine locally as the perform in “Let’s Talk” here at HHS. The event allows the public a rare opportunity to see what they do at tournaments. After that, they will travel to Mt. Vernon to compete in Regionals.