Aaron McIntyre, left; Stella Hoyt, center; and Jazmin Rhodes represented Homewood-Flossmoor High School at the IHSA state speech competition. They won two medals. (Provided photo)
Education

Two students win state honors at speech competition

Homewood-Flossmoor High School junior Jazmin Rhodes brought home third place state honors in oratorical declamation at the IHSA speech competition Feb. 18.

She also brought home a medal for a 7th place finish in dramatic acting with partner Stella Hoyt. They performed a piece about a gay couple and their relationship moving through time. The pair advanced to state after being named regional champions at a competition Feb. 11 at Richards High School.

Aaron McIntyre, left; Stella Hoyt, center; and Jazmin Rhodes represented Homewood-Flossmoor High School at the IHSA state speech competition. They won two medals. (Provided photo)
Aaron McIntyre, left; Stella Hoyt, center; and Jazmin Rhodes represented Homewood-Flossmoor High School at the IHSA state speech competition. They won two medals. (Provided photo)

Aaron McIntyre represented H-F in the extemporaneous speaking category at the IHSA competition. He earned a second place ranking at regionals.

Other honorees at regionals were Emma Steiner, impromptu speaking, second place; Performance in the Round, second place, with cast members Christopher Albert, Tolani Babawale, Laila Dyer, Sofia Garcia, Aniya Johnson, Madyson Keelen, Tamia Mack, Shylah Mahone, Tessa O’Keefe, Benjamin Peden, Richard Pitts, Jordyn Richardson, Casey Siengo, Samya Sissac, Cameron Thomas and Cayla Tucker. 

Third place finishers were Jenesya Harris, original oratory; Halena Laven, poetry reading; Aaron McIntyre, special occasion speaking; Jazmin Rhodes, oratorical declamation; Davin Ullmer, original comedy.

Taking fourth place were Jordyn Abercrombie and Devin Kenebrew, humorous duet acting; Ronald Gerring, dramatic interpretation; Rachel Griggs, radio speaking; Marcus Hincks, humorous interpretation; Emma Steiner, information speaking.

For her oratorical declamation presentation at state, Rhodes trimmed a TED Talk on generational trauma within the Black community to the required eight minutes. She prepared for the competition from mid-August when speech team auditions were held, until her presentation at the IHSA competition.

Rhodes has been in speech since her freshman year, although that was a difficult year because H-F was remote. Last year, Rhodes competed in original oratory. She said both original oratory and oratorical declamation are delivered as public addresses.

“This year, I would say it was a little easier because … this year I had the speech already and (it required) a little bit of interpretation and I do acting so it comes easy to me,” she said.

Rhodes will be appearing as Mae Tuck, the mother of the Tuck family, in the H-F spring musical “Tuck Everlasting.”

Rhodes, 16, is the daughter of Linda and Warren Rhodes of Homewood.

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