McKenzie County Farmer - Sports

M.K. French
Farmer Staff Writer

Public speaking is often cited as one of the most common fears for adults, but for the Watford City High School speech team, it is a platform for courage, storytelling, and regional excellence. After a dominant performance at the Western Dakota Association (WDA) Regional tournament, the Wolves’ Speech team is preparing to take their talents to the state stage in Jamestown this Saturday.

The team’s recent success is punctuated by four regional championship titles, a feat that Coach Jenna Bauer attributes to the students’ resilience. “The biggest strength of this team is their ability to take criticism and feedback and let it strengthen their performance rather than beat them down,” said Bauer, who has coached speech for 14 years. “The kids who compete in speech are some of the bravest kids I know. They choose to give up almost every Saturday from January until April to build their skills.”

Among the six students heading to State are four regional champions who topped fields of dozens of competitors to claim first place in their respective categories. The students rounding out this impressive team are as follows:

For the full story, visit www.watfordcitynd.com and subscribe to the McKenzie County Farmer today!