The Hinsdale Central speech team won a state championship to end their season after competing in Peoria on Feb. 21. This is the third state championship won by the team since 2015. 

The speech team won three of their events, and placed in the top six in three other events, to win against the high scoring Downers Grove South and Neuqua Valley. 

The team has been preparing for the state championship for weeks prior to the big event.

“For the weeks upcoming to state, we had regionals and sectionals in which we had to qualify for before getting qualified for state,” said Kiran Singla, senior. “I usually practiced for about two hours three times a week with coaches and other kids on the team. Just perfecting my speech, or fixing the wording and delivery of it.”

Other members of the team had minimal preparation necessary to be successful at state. 

“Honestly, I did nothing. It sounds weird, but it was the best thing we could’ve done. In the two months leading up to regionals, Albin and I practiced our piece maybe three times. Mr. Woods didn’t even let us take it out to tournaments,” said Michael McGowan, senior. “The key for Duet events is keeping the piece fresh and natural for the performers so that it looks real to the audience.”

Winning state is a big accomplishment and means a lot to individual members of the team, as well as the team as a whole.

“Since I joined the team, I had a feeling that the class of ‘26 was special. It felt like each of us had earned a title to end our senior year and to set the standard for our team,” said McGowan. “I also wanted redemption from the previous year, when I placed on the podium but just missed the title. It was our goal from day one to win the title together, and performing for that ballroom at awards was unreal.”

Speech team members celebrated the win individually and as a team.

“I celebrated winning by hugging my coaches and congratulating my teammates. We all went back to our hotel after the win and hung out as a team. We also threw a little pizza party,” said Albin Stromberg, senior. “We are still riding high as a team.” 

Some members of the team perform different speech events. One of these includes an event called Dramatic Duet Acting.

“Dramatic Duet Acting was still relatively new to me at the start of the year. What I really learned was how to be a natural actor, specifically in that event. I learned how to make a performance feel real, how to break down, how to position myself on stage, all the things that make a good actor,” said McGowan.

Other members of the team perform a public speaking act.

“The biggest skill I learned from this season that helped me perform well is stop thinking of it as a performance but more as a conversation,” said Singla. “I do a public speaking event, which many people find monotonous. But finding ways to connect with your audience and make it sound like your talking to them makes performing feel like a conversation.”

Even though members of the team perform individually or in pairs, they all show up to support each other. 

“Our team is the most supportive during competitions. When we have rounds we’re going to perform in, people come to watch and engage with you as you speak. This helps me so much as a speaker because it’s always nice to see a familiar face in the audience,” said Singla.

To learn more about the individual results of the team, click on this link: https://postings.speechwire.com/r-team.php?teamid=66&seasonid=18