CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Marshalltown High School junior Jaylin Fogarty, center, and senior Nolan Sawtelle, right, recently competed at the Iowa High School Speech Association (IHSSA) Individual All-State Festival on the UNI campus in Cedar Falls on March 30. Also pictured is individual speech coach Lexi Jones, left.

On March 30, a pair of Marshalltown High School students — junior Jaylin Fogarty and senior Nolan Sawtelle — competed at the Iowa High School Speech Association (IHSSA) All-State Festival on the University of Northern Iowa campus in Cedar Falls, and they recently reflected on the milestone and just how much it meant to them to get there.

Fogarty, a three-year speech participant, said it had always been a goal of his to someday reach All-State, and he worked hard with coaches Lexi Jones and Ryan Boley to make it. During previous years, he pivoted from acting and solo musical theater to after dinner speaking.

“I was kind of intrigued by the idea because it’s like comedy and being informative all in one. And that just kind of gave me an opportunity to express myself because I have a passion for that,” Fogarty said.

The category involves writing a five-minute speech, memorizing it and ensuring that it doesn’t go over the time limit — until he got to All-State and could finally perform the whole thing. The topics Fogarty chose to address were how rampant hatred has become, people lacking common sense and the Fitnessgram Pacer Test.

For his speech, Fogarty is in his mother’s basement and has kidnapped all of the world leaders, forcing them to eat subpar spaghetti and imploring them to fix the aforementioned issues — or else he presses the nuclear button. Jones was quick to credit Boley for his efforts with the kids, and she said she was “blown away” by the talent and determination her all-staters showed.

Sawtelle, on the other hand, made it to All-State in radio broadcasting for the first time as a senior, which had been a longtime goal of his.

“I first heard of the IHSSA because of my video production class teacher and MHS speech coach at the time, Mrs. Frohwein. I had made a short film for the class about my dog, and she signed me up for the large group competitions. That short film actually ended up making it to State (the order of competitions in speech is district, state, all-state). Once I learned that the IHSSA had a radio news announcing category, I became fully immersed in the speech world,” he said.

In Radio News Announcing contests, the contestant gets handed a copy of various news stories ranging from local, national, international, sports, and weather then has 30 minutes to prepare a four to five minute broadcast from the copy, complete with a required commercial. To assemble the script, materials such as construction paper, glue, scissors, and tape are used.

Sawtelle said he worked mostly with Boley in his category.

“We worked on trying to slow down my speaking voice, as well as putting more emphasis on certain words. I think the practices helped, as I think my performance voice this year was better compared to previous years,” Sawtelle said.

After being eliminated at districts last year, Sawtelle had only hoped to make it to state in 2026.

“All-State didn’t even cross my mind, so I was a bit surprised when I saw I was nominated. As for my experience at All-State, the sheer number of people there competing was staggering, and it really makes you think about the whole number of people who compete in speech in general. It was also a bit surreal knowing that this was going to be my final speech contest as a performer, but it felt nice knowing that I was going out on top,” he said.

Fogarty is considering giving solo musical theater another shot during his final go-round in individual speech next year, and he called the All-State experience “phenomenal” and “life-changing.”

“A lot of the people that are involved in speech are really supportive. They give you compliments, and I just feel like they’re energy boosters. I love the energy they bring. It’s just crazy that you can see all these performances that All-Stated and then you’re like ‘Wow, they’re way better than me.’ Or you’re just like ‘They deserved All-State,’ so it’s just kind of this community where we’re all holding each other’s hands and helping each other succeed, and I just thought it was a really good experience,” he said.

And while Sawtelle’s high school speech career is now officially over, he would recommend it to anyone looking for an activity to get involved in.

“I think the biggest lesson I have learned from competing in speech is to just do something. You won’t know whether or not you may like something unless you try. For those who wish to join their high school speech program: PLEASE JOIN! It’s a great place to meet people and build community, as well as develop your speaking abilities and vocabulary,” he said. “Also, there’s been a bit of a decline in participants, so coaches need all they can get.”