Elk Grove, Prospect students win state speech championships

Four Elk Grove and Prospect high school students recently won first place at the IHSA state speech championship, marking the second consecutive year they have earned this distinction.

Elk Grove senior Megan Manoj was named the state champion in oratorical declamation, a title she earned in 2016. Manoj also earned third place in the informative speaking category, and senior Mary Daniels won sixth place in humorous interpretation. As a team, Elk Grove placed ninth.

Prospect students earned third place in the state as a team. Senior Jimmy McDermott was named the state champion in prose reading.

In 2016, he won first place in the original oratory category. He also earned state runner-up in the original oratory category in this year's competition.

Senior Ben Marshall and junior Molly McDermott were named state champions in dramatic duet acting. Last year, they won first place in the humorous duet category.

Senior Abigail Grott was named the state runner-up in oratorical declamation, senior Jon Zach earned third place in poetry reading, senior Ben Marshall and sophomore Katherine Jordan took fourth place in humorous duet acting and senior Riley Langefeld placed seventh in extemporaneous speaking.

The school's Performance in the Round team placed fifth in the state. Members include Jack Jones, Nicolas Cima, Haley Slusher, Emmett Knee, Grace Godby, Michael Alicoate, Toni DiPrima, Anthony Ciero, Marie Romanelli, Brianna Rider-Leiner, Julia Holzl, Maggie Ward, Sophie Speedy, Angelina Hwang, Maggie Ward, Molly T. McDermott, Kamila Cwanek and Megan McLaughlin.