Interpreting literature means analyzing text with a pencil in hand and later discussing findings with others. However, for students on the Oral Interp team at LHS, interpreting literature goes farther than pencil and paper. It means adding voice, character and personality to the text through acting it out for others.
This year the team has had abundant success, placing in every weekly tournament they have competed in so far. The season is from October to February, and it is split into two separate seasons. The first is from October to December, culminating in a state tournament. This year it was in Sturgis, SD and the group earned the team excellence award, representing their hard work paying off. Their season then continues until February, when they compete to qualify for nationals, which is in Des Moines, Iowa this year.
A typical competition includes three prelim rounds, which means each participant has to perform their piece three different times. Then the top six move on to finals, where they perform their piece again, which then concludes with an award ceremony. Each competition can last around seven hours, resulting in a long day but also endless memories with teammates. Oral Interp participants can choose to compete in a variety of categories, including humor, duo, drama and poetry.
The team’s success is the result of months of hard work and preparation. Starting in October students chose a published piece of literature that they will work with for the entire season. As the coach, Mia Becic, a science teacher at LHS, helps students prepare and guides them to create the best pieces possible through leading meetings and consistent constructive feedback. She also offers students flexibility, not mandating attendance to all practices or tournaments and working around students’ busy schedules.
“I make sure that they have a script that is legal and then I help them cut the piece down to the required time. I’ll help them also put better emotions to it or better blocking to it,” said Becic. “We are constantly tweaking and
trying to make it better. Ways that we do that – I make them run through it a bunch and we’ll sit there and watch, and we can tell them some constructive feedback about what they can maybe change so that way it can be better.”
The advice and knowledge Becic provides her students comes from almost 10 years of Oral Interp experience. With an incredible passion for the activity and a desire to grow the program, Becic is a major reason for the team’s success this year.
“When I was in high school, I competed in Interp, from when I was a freshman to a senior so that’s my four years of experience. Once I left high school as a college student I would come back and judge all the time. Last year when the other coach resigned, I was like you know what, I can take my own team,” said Becic.
While the team has had great success this year, Becic is hopes to continue to grow the team and start an Oral Interp class started at LHS to spark passion in students for the activity and spread awareness for what it entails. Students can choose if the class would count as a fine arts elective or an English elective, both of which are required to graduate. If the class meets the required 15 students to sign up for it, it will be an official class at LHS next year.
“I’m trying to get a class going because technically Interp is also a class, I just need enough people to sign up for it. I’ve been advertising a lot because I think if I can get a class going and if I can teach a class, people would realize what it is,” said Becic.
In addition to the growth goals Becic has, Jackson Klawonn, a senior at LHS, aims to see more student support for Oral Interp at LHS. Klawonn started the activity when his mom, an English teacher at LHS, recommended it to him, as she knew of Klawonn’s passion for theater and acting. He is now in his third year on the team.
“I just wish we had more support for the group, because everyone goes and watches the football games and the volleyball games, but no one really knows about Oral Interp,” said Klawonn.
This year is junior Kaci Buckneburg’s first year competing in Oral Interp. She had been wanting to join Oral Interp for a while, but at her old school in Sturgis, SD, Oral Interp was more strict than at LHS, so she has greatly appreciated the flexibility Becic offers. After talking it through with her counselor and Becic, Buckneburg decided to get involved.
Like many others, Buckneburg initially struggled with a fear of public speaking. Luckily, the community from Oral Interp allowed her to overcome this fear and have an outlet to express herself. By joining the team, she has made lifelong friends that provide her with a safe environment.
“My favorite aspect of Oral Interp would have to be the team [and] bonding with those people. It’s really fun to interact with them and go through the same things, and it is really nerve-wracking to get up and speak in front of people from multiple different times, so being able to talk to certain people about the fear of public speaking is pretty great,” said Buckneburg.
Lastly, Becic notes the positive benefits of Oral Interp. It improves students’ confidence, public speaking skills and creativity. Furthermore, students only perform in front of a judge and a few other students, providing them with a good introduction to public speaking and helping them overcome their initial fear.
“The activity itself is so beneficial. It teaches really good leadership skills. You’re going to walk out of there feeling really confident about your public speaking skills too, because it’s a really nice, safe, lowkey space to test it out too,” said Becic. “There’s been just incredible people that have come from Oral Interp, like Oprah Winfrey, Brad Pitt [and] Jared Padalecki.”
As a part of the team, both Klawonn and Buckneburg believe Oral Interp is a great program that everyone should consider, despite how scary, time-consuming or difficult it may seem. It offers a place for anyone and everyone.
“I think anybody can do [Oral Interp] regardless of if they think they’re a good actor or not,” said Buckneburg.
Awards from 2024-2025 Season:
Jackson Klawonn (Humor & Duo with Kaci)
The Circle of Courage Tournament – 3rd in humor
Brookings Bell Tournament – 6th in humor
Lincoln Silver Bowl Tournament – 1st in humor
Oral Interp State Festival – Superior in humor
The Paradigm at Dowling Tournament – 5th in duo
Brookings Bell Tournament – 5th in duo
Lincoln Silver Bowl – 3rd in duo
Lincoln Southwest Silver Talon – 2nd in duo
Oral Interp State Festival – Superior in duo
NIETOC* bid
Kaci Buckneberg (Poetry, Program of Interp & Duo with Jackson)
The Paradigm at Dowling Tournament – 5th in duo
Brookings Bell Tournament – 5th in duo
Lincoln Silver Bowl – 3rd in duo
Lincoln Southwest Silver Talon – 2nd in duo
Oral Interp State Festival – Superior in duo
Circle of Courage – 2nd in Poetry
Teddy’s Round up – 1st in Poetry
Oral Interp State Festival – Superior in Poetry
NIETOC* bid
Lauryn Lidel (Drama)
McGovern Tournament – 3rd in drama
Paradigm at Dowling – 6th in drama
Stillwater/Mounds Tournament – 2nd in drama
Lincoln Silver Bowl – 5th in drama
Millard West – Next in Finals for drama
NIETOC* bid
Lauren Huber (Humor, Storytelling & Informative Speaking)
Brandon Valley Speaking Lynx – 5th in humor
Teddy’s Round Up – 3rd in humor
Teddy’s Round Up – 1st in storytelling
Washington Warrior – 4th in humor
Oral Interp State Festival – Superior in storytelling
*NIETOC bids allow one to go to a national tournament in May
