By Christal Ruppert, Head Speech Coach
April 11, 2025 | 3 p.m.
Two PACT students are advancing to the MSHSL State Speech Tournament following top finishes at the Section 4A tournament on Friday, April 4.
Levi Wood ‘26 returns to the state tournament for his second consecutive year after bringing home the championship title in Storytelling. Wood, in his third competitive season, double-entered in Storytelling and Great Speeches, a category that analyzes traditionally impactful speeches from the global stage. As he has done in other categories, Wood applied his special brand of humor and creativity to Great Speeches. This meticulous category acted as a foil to the more flexible Storytelling, which requires competitors to draw, select, and perform different stories each round with limited preparation time. The 2025 season saw Wood expanding his already-impressive improvisational and storytelling skills, evidenced by his four first-place finishes at various invitationals. His optimism and determination this season have set a great example for the whole team.
Daisy Richards ‘26 advances to the state tournament in Creative Expression, a category in which the speaker writes and performs his or her own original, creative piece. Because of the flexibility of the category, Creative Expression can be serious or funny; Richards has crafted a story that walks this line beautifully, moving audiences to both laughter and a few tears. This is Richards’ fourth year on the team, but her first in this category after competing in Extemporaneous Reading for the past three seasons. This is her first state tournament appearance.
A record-breaking 32 PACT students competed in the section tournament, with seven students (six pieces) breaking into the final round of competition. Though not all students who broke to finals advanced to state, their finals performances contributed to the team’s overall points.
The Class A State Tournament will be held at Shakopee High School on Friday, April 25. Rounds begin at 10:15 a.m. and are free and open to the public. Follow the team and see the results on the PACT Speech Facebook page.