Individual Event medalists of the IHSA South Regional Speech Tournament who will advance to the Sectional competition are: (l.to r.) Kapri Echols, Alayna Hester, Janessa Colquitt, John Anderson, III, Chyna Sanders, Kristen Carter, Zadok Dean, III and Camille Johnson.
RICHTON PARK, ILLINOIS—(ENEWSPF)–February 8, 2016–Members of the Southland College Prep Charter High School Speech and Forensics team took top honors in twelve events in the Illinois High School Association ( IHSA) South Regional tournament held at Marian Catholic High School, Chicago Heights, Illinois.
Southland placed first in four Individual Events, two Southland team members took second place, four earned third place medals and one a fourth place.
In addition, Southland’s Performance in the Round team took first place in the Regional competition.
The group, consisting of 13 actors, three musicians and two student directors, performed “Tulsa,” an original piece by Southland College Prep speech coaches Lauren Wells and Andrew Malone that recounted the 1921 race riots in Tulsa, Oklahoma that destroyed more than 600 successful African-American owned businesses and 1,200 homes in the Greenwood District of the city, termed the “Black Wall Street.” The tragic event left 4,000 African-Americans homeless.
All the winners will compete in the Southwest Suburban Sectional tournament at Reavis High School, Burbank Illinois Saturday, February 13.
Janell Alexander and Jayden Posley were student directors of the Performance in the Round production.
Cast members included: Takiyah Brown, Jalen Causey, Victoria Dean, Indya Gettings, Anthony Harris, Kene Ifezue, Angel Jackson, Aaron Kinnie, Don’Ya Mattison, Dejah Morris, Mauria Owens, Jayda Peoples and Keylin Sharkey.
Kaitlyn Barksdale, Kassidy Hayslett and Lisa Owens were musicians.
In the Individual Events section of the tournament, Janessa Colquitt of Country Club Hills placed first in both Oratorical Declamation and Poetry Reading.
Chyna Sanders of Richton Park earned a first place medal for Prose Reading and also took top honors, together with John Anderson, III of Matteson, for Humorous Duet Acting.
Other winners in the South Speech Forensics Regional tournament are:
Zadok Dean, III of Country Club Hills took second place in Humorous Interpretation and placed third in Dramatic Duet Acting, together with Kapri Echols of Mattson. Kristen Carter, of Olympia Fields placed second in Informative Speaking.
Third place medals were awarded to Alayna Hester of Matteson, Original Comedy, Kapri Echols for Dramatic Interpretation and John Anderson, III, Special Occasion Speaking.
Camille Johnson of Olympia Fields placed fourth in Extemporaneous Speaking.
“The performance of our Southland College Prep students, many of whom were underclassmen, clearly demonstrates that Speech and Forensics is truly a center of excellence at this school. Their talented and dedicated coach, Ms. Cheryl Frazier, Director of Forensics and Theater, together with her coaching team have prepared our students well. We look forward to keen competition in the Sectional tournament and then on to State,” said Dr. Blondean Davis, CEO of Southland College Prep.
Southland College Prep Charter High School placed third among the ten high schools that competed in the South Regional tournament with 59 points.
Source: Southland College Prep Charter High School
