Mid-Prairie Speech Teams Earn Multiple All-State Nominations

Four groups from the high school will perform at the prestigious IHSSA Large Group All-State Festival.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The Mid-Prairie High School speech teams had a strong showing at the recent Iowa High School Speech Association State Large Group Speech Contest, with seven groups competing and six earning Division 1 ratings. Of those six top-rated groups, four have been nominated to perform at the prestigious IHSSA Large Group All-State Festival in Ames later this month.

Why it matters

Earning an All-State nomination is a significant achievement, as only 5% of IHSSA performers from across Iowa receive this honor. The Mid-Prairie speech program's success highlights the dedication and talent of its students and coaches, and brings positive attention to the school district.

The details

The four Mid-Prairie groups nominated for the All-State Festival include a Readers Theatre piece, a Musical Theatre performance, an Ensemble Acting group, and a Group Improvisation team. These groups will receive special recognition at the event, with the Readers Theatre group also selected to perform their piece live.

  • The Iowa High School Speech Association State Large Group Speech Contest took place last weekend at Clear Creek Amana High School.
  • The IHSSA Large Group All-State Festival will be held in Ames later this month.

The players

Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks

The speech teams from Mid-Prairie High School, which sent seven groups to the state competition.

Iowa High School Speech Association (IHSSA)

The organization that oversees high school speech and debate competitions in Iowa.

Christine Meader and Lisa Helmuth

The coaches of the Mid-Prairie speech teams.

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What’s next

The Mid-Prairie speech teams will now prepare to perform at the IHSSA Large Group All-State Festival in Ames later this month, where they will receive special recognition for their achievements.

The takeaway

The success of the Mid-Prairie speech teams at the state competition demonstrates the strength of the school's speech program and the dedication of its students and coaches. This achievement highlights the continued importance of speech and performance arts in high school education.