The 2019 All-State Large Group Speech Festival is tomorrow at Iowa State University, and the Perry reader’s theater team will be in attendance, though they won’t be performing.

The entry, written by Perry Speech Coach Wendy Bollhoefer and titled “Inside a Teen Mind,” received three “I” ratings and an All-State recommendation from judges at the state competition two Saturdays ago. Though the piece won’t be performed, Assistant Speech Coach Allisa Bahney emphasizes that there’s ultimately no difference between those that perform and those that don’t. “It’s very difficult to get honored at All-State, no matter whether you’re performing or non-performing. And I’m not sure exactly what sets them apart, other than some people just perform that day and some don’t. They still get all the glory and all the honor, and they’re still All-Staters. So it’s still a big deal.”

Bahney added, it was actually fortuitous that the group wasn’t selected to perform, since most of them have other obligations tomorrow, including the Perry Band Olympics. The opening ceremony will be held at 8 a.m. at Stephens Auditorium, during which the participants will be given their All-State honors. The Perry reader’s theater team includes Camden Studer, Rylynn Gilmore, Kayla McFarland, and Madison Mason.