Cedar Catholic disappointed with State, but proud of season

KEARNEY – Even though the Cedar Catholic High School speech team was disappointed with its State meet showing, it was still proud of its overall season.

Cedar Catholic sent four entries to compete at the 2024 Nebraska School Activities Association State Speech Championships for Class C2 on March 21 at Kearney High School.

Senior Elizabeth Rokusek has qualified for the State meet her sophomore, junior and senior years, including in Program of Oral Interpretation and Poetry this year.

Junior Ben Kleinschmit entered this year’s State meet with an Extemporaneous Speaking piece, while sophomore Ava Stewart qualified in Informative Speaking.

However, none of them placed in the top six spots of their respective events to medal.

“The ballots at State speech didn’t quite fall how we would have liked, but I am so very proud of my team,” Cedar Catholic speech coach Jennifer Kleinschmit said.

Rokusek agreed with her coach. “Unfortunately, we didn’t place at State,” Rokusek said.

“I’m very proud of how my team did, though. Obviously, it’s very difficult to not be hard on myself, but speech is incredibly subjective, which is one of the reasons it’s a difficult activity.

“I’m very proud of my team, and we all did a great job this year,” she said. “Ultimately, opinion does play a role in speech, which is hard to accept. Like I said, I’m happy with my team. We did a great job this year and I had a lot of fun, especially at State.”

Rokusek thanked her coach for putting up with her and her two classmates during the State meet trip this year.

“Eight hours in the car with tired but wild high schoolers can get crazy, so I really want to thank my coach for dealing with all the noise,” Rokusek said.

Rokusek noted she has mixed feelings about the conclusion of speech season, as it was the last one she will be a part of as a Cedar Catholic student.

“Part of me is ready to close the book on this part of my life because it is mentally very difficult and can also be really hard on a person’s self-esteem – sometimes judges can be very, very critical right after a different judge loved your performance,” Rokusek said.

“However, I am really going to miss speech,” she said. “It’s been a huge part of my life since seventh grade, and I have made so many memories and improved so much. I’m also really going to miss my team and coaches.”

Jennifer Kleinschmit reflected on her first season as Cedar Catholic’s speech coach.

“I am just so very proud of my team and how hard they worked,” she said. “I have my sixth-grade program at Holy Trinity (Elementary) and I feel that is going to contribute to lots of growth with my high school team in these next coming years.”