The 2024 State Speech Competition was a historic one for the Osceola Speech team. Although only three competitors qualified for the competition, those three young men were able to do some damage coming away with 3 State Championships out of 10 events. Hayden Lavaley, Matt DeMers, and Braylon Peterson all saw the medal stand for their performances the past Friday, reaching finals in each event in which they participated. The performances by those three boosted Osceola to a 6th place finish.
Hayden Lavaley came away as the back-to-back Class D1 State Champion in Oral Interpretation of Serious Prose as he was returning State Champion in that event from the 2023 State Speech Competition. The day was a huge success for Hayden as he also came away with a State Championship in Poetry by outlasting the returning Class C2 State Champion in that same event. But that was not the end of his day. He also received the Believers and Achievers award this past Friday to open the awards ceremony. The Believers and Achievers is an award given to 48 of the 25,000 Seniors in the State of Nebraska. Considerations for the award are participation in NSAA activities and the success each student has in them, while holding exemplary academic standing, as well as, school and community leadership positions.
Matt DeMers was able to improve upon his 5th place finish in the 2023 State Speech Competition in the event of Entertainment to come away with Osceola’s 3rd State Championship. Matt was not only able to win, but did so in dominating fashion as he was selected as the top performer by all three of the finals judges and was given a perfect score. This was a goal that Matt set for himself after last season and was able to see it through.
Braylon Peterson made his first appearance at the State Competition and did not disappoint. He was able to find his way into the finals and a State medal by finishing in the top three each preliminary round, including a top finish in his first round. Hopefully, this is one of several State medals that will find their way around Braylon’s neck.
Each of these three students excelled in their craft this season, but the rest of the Osceola team is not to be forgotten. This group of students were competitive all year and several just missed out on State bids. Congratulations to our Senior participants, Creighton Sterup, Joe Meysenburg, Hayden Lavaley, Matt DeMers, it was a great 4 years. All four had participated in at least one State Competition and had great success on all levels, along with bringing some laughs. Thank you for all of the time and work you put into this program. Osceola will return a lot of talent and is looking to make another run at it in 2025.