April 25, 2025
We’re thrilled to share that the MPA speech team has won the state championship for the third year in a row—an incredible achievement and a perfect springboard into the national season ahead! Highlights from the state tournament include:
- A new school record of 69 points, breaking our own previous best.
- 16 students earned individual medals, tying the school’s all-time record set in 2004.
- Paul Fertig became MPA’s 50th individual state champion, the most in Class A history and third-most in Minnesota history overall.
- Esteemed judge Roxy Janke, with over 40 years of experience, praised our team, saying: “I feel like I could just sit down across from them, and they would teach me everything about their piece.”
Next up: Nationals! The team will travel to Kansas City on May 15 for NIETOC, followed by a trip to Des Moines for the 100th anniversary of the NSDA. Good luck, Panthers!
Full MPA Results From State:
- Paul Fertig: State Champion, Extemporaneous Speaking
- Guy Schwieger and Nico Bergh: Second place, Duo
- Amal Sastry: Second place, Extemporaneous Speaking
- Mina Kim: Second place, Great Speeches
- Nabila Artan: Third place, Original Oratory
- Oslo Norcross: Third place, Informative Speaking
- Rowan Mulrooney: Fourth place, Great Speeches
- Alyona Vietrova: Fourth place, Poetry
- Mari Minear: Fifth place, Great Speeches
- Warner Reid and Hazel Reid: Sixth place, Duo
- Sidd Sastry: Sixth place, Extemporaneous Speaking
- Zainab Lodhi: Sixth place, Informative Speaking
- Ash Klann: Sixth place, Original Oratory
- Kelvyn Boddipalli: Seventh place, Humorous Interpretation
