ABOVE: The 14 students, ranging from 8th to 12th grade, that have advanced to the state speech competition on April 25 at Park Center High School in Brooklyn Park. Front row, from left: Megan Wheeler, Thomas Hamlet, Levi Loughmiller, Anthony Klanderud, Cooper Gudahl, Belinda Lutterman. Back row, from left: Addie Lintelman, Bella Coan, Emma Schmidt, Calixta Tessendorf, Allie Streit, Jackson Henning, Evan Reyelts, Leon Yang. Submitted photo

FAIRMONT – Having just won the section championship, and 14 students across eight speech disciplines qualifying for state, Fairmont Speech has a full cast looking to make their mark.

Fairmont Speech Coach Kathleen Walker said they were bolstered this year with one of the largest teams she’s had in her tenure.

“We had anywhere from 45 to 50 kids trying speech at any participation level,” she said. “That’s something I’m really proud of, is that we are a welcoming coaching staff to anyone who wants to try speech at any capacity. Once we get towards sections, we have it down to 35 of our strongest entries throughout the season.”

There has been no stone unturned this season, as Fairmont Speech participants have faced every manner of experience level and competition size.

“We’ve been to small meets and really huge meets,” Walker said. “We’ve been to national qualifying tournaments. We’ve been to tournaments that have tested our endurance for the season, to get us ready for this point.”

Their section win is the 10th consecutive under Eric and Kathleen Walker. As to how they’ve had this established run of success, she said they like to make sure everyone feels like they have a voice and can be an exemplary public speaker in their own way.

“Every single person brings a talent, whether they realize it or not,” Kathleen said. “Our job is to help students realize that talent. The talent means nothing without a support system and a feeling of family everywhere we go, from practice to on the bus to the tournaments. When you love what you do, the results come.”

This shows in the backgrounds of the state competitors, including Senior Anthony Klanderud, who competes in the Poetry category. Klanderud had never done speech before this year, and, coming in with that background, he said his experience has been helpful.

“There’s a lot less pressure for me to perform well all the time,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of meets where I did really bad and I would forget whole paragraphs of my speech. It was helpful to have some of that pressure relieved. I think that’s just helped me grow a lot and have more fun.”

Before reaching high school, Addie Lintelman has qualified for state as an 8th-grader in the Original Oratory category. Though the first state competition can be daunting for participants in any sport or activity, Lintelman has a clear eye for her category and the competition.

“My speech is about comparing yourself to other people,” she said. “I think that’s really good for speech, because sometimes it’s easy to compare yourself to other people, but I think I’m excited to go to state with it. My goal is to get the feel for how state is like, so in the future I can go there again.”

Regarding the team as a whole, longtime participant and Senior Belinda Lutterman said this team has what it takes to make a definite splash.

“It’s anyone’s game,” she said. “It comes down to who’s willing to show up that day and prove they’re one of those state finalists. I think this team has shown throughout the season that they are capable of showing up when it’s important, and I think they can do that again at state.”

Fairmont students will start competing at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 25, at the Park Center High School in Brooklyn Park.