Welcome to District Speech Contest 2023

WELCOME! WELCOME! Keota is so very excited to be hosting Large Group Speech Contest!!! We are working very hard to make the day a great experience!!! We are involving our school community as well as the Keota community as a whole and can't wait to see you all on the 21st. We will be adding information as it becomes available to this link, so check back often.
Contact information for contest managers Michael McNurlen and Gina Bennett are as follows:
Michael 319-930-1158 spikeonthemike@gmail.com (Michael would prefer you call the cell number)
Gina 319-330-6085 gina.bennett@keota.k12.ia.us 641-636-2189 (office 8:00 – 3:30)
Please feel free to reach out to either of us with any questions or concerns you might have. Again, we look forward to a great day of speech at Keota!!!! Best wishes to everyone as the speech season continues!!
Updated 12/12/22

Judges Meeting – There will be a meeting for all judges at 7:15 on the morning of the contest.Please report to the high school office and you will be directed from there. There will be signs on the door indicating the judge’s entrance. Judges should park in the lot between the schools. There will be people there to direct you.

Coaches: Coaches: Please pass on to your bus driver that there will be a bus driver lounge in the high school. The bus driver lounge will have coffee, donuts in the morning and some games and TV to help pass the day.

Updated 1/10/23

Coaches!!! Please inform your student, parents and people coming to the contest of the importance of keeping the hallways quiet!!!!!!!! This is an ongoing problem and your help in that area will be appreciated.

Also, please inform your parents/grandparents etc. that they should arrive early to see their student perform. It is important to let them know how a contest runs and that being early is far, far better than running right on time!!!!!!!!!

If you have large props, blocks etc. for one act plays, reader’s theater, etc. please have your bus pull into the parking lot between the two buildings and unload there. The door to use will be clearly marked. Just inside that door is a smaller gym which will be used for prop storage and warm up. This is the only door in that parking area that will be open. We have a center near the other doors and want to avoid the chances of a lot of disruption and noise. There are rest rooms in the hall outside the auditorium that may be used for makeup. Dressing rooms will be directly off the stage area and clearly marked.

Coaches!!! Please inform your student, parents and people coming to the contest of the importance of keeping the hallways quiet!!!!!!!! This is an ongoing problem and your help in that area will be appreciated.

High School office is located under the large Keota Eagles sign. This entrance is for coaches only. Upon arrival at the school, coaches, please report to the high school office area to let us know you have arrived and of any drop/substitutions etc. that we would need to be aware of. This will be the contest office for the day and it will also be where you will pick up your results when your final event has been posted. Finally, please check this site often as there will be new information added daily. The schedule will be posted soon so check back!!!! Please feel free to contact Michael 319-930-1158 spikeonthemike@gmail.com (Michael would prefer you call the cell number)Gina 319-330-6085 gina.bennett@keota.k12.ia.us 641-636-2189 (office 8:00 – 3:30)

Finally, please check this site often as there will be new information added daily. The schedule will be posted soon so check back!!!!

Please feel free to contact Michael 319-930-1158 spikeonthemike@gmail.com (Michael would prefer you call the cell number)
Gina 319-330-6085 gina.bennett@keota.k12.ia.us 641-636-2189 (office 8:00 – 3:30)

Updated 12/17/2022

Find Keota High School

Keota is located in NE Keokuk County between Hwy 22 and 92 (E/W roads) and Hwy 77 and V15 (N/S roads).

View Keota High School in Google maps

Parking

School bus parking will be off school grounds. We will have parking attendants to guide you. A shuttle will be provided. The lot between the schools will be used solely for loading and unloading. It is a tight turn.Parking for parents and spectators will be on the side streets around the school, as well as the far parking lot on the west side of the high school. There is handicap parking available in the circle drive in front of the elementary building. Please make sure that when you unload your bus, you take EVERYTHING with you as buses will be parked in a different location!!!!!!!!!!

Weather Cancellation

If there are weather concerns, we will inform you by cell phone or whatever contact info you provide.  We will also be contacting KCII Radio, KCRG, KGAN, and WMT 600 Radio.  

Safety

There will be a certified emergency medical technician at the school throughout the contest.

Updated 12/17/22

Entrances

We ask that you use the triple gray doors to the cafeteria to enter the building. Just inside the doors is the gym that we will be having as "home base". The doors to the high school should be used only by judges and coaches. Please do not have your students coming in that door as the auditorium is right inside the door and the noise will cause a problem.

Performance Etiquette

This is always a major concern !!!! Please go over the following items with students and have them share them with their parents.

Please refrain from talking during a performance. Even whispering is a distraction for those around you. It is important to REMAIN QUIET OUTSIDE THE ROOM, as well!!!

Please turn off or silence all pagers, cell phone and watch alarms!!!

FROM THE STATE OFFICE

There is NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED during any performance. RECORDING OF PERFORMANCES ONLY WITH PERMISSION from the state office. Please share this with all parents!!!

Concessions

All food will be served in the cafeteria in the center of the school campus. Seating is in the cafeteria as well as the main gym. Cash and credit/debit cards will be accepted.

Breakfast Menu from 8-10:00

Cinnamon Rolls, Breakfast Burritos, Biscuits with Sausage Gravy

Lunch Menu after 10:30

Sandwiches: Hamburgers, Cheeseburgers, Hot Dogs, Chicken Breast, Deli Sandwiches, Pizza Slices, Wisconsin Cheese Soup.
Oriental Meal: Orange Chicken, Fried rice, Egg rolls
Snacks, Assorted chips, Homemade pie
Drinks: Coffee, Orange juice, Pop, Water, Gaterade

Updated 1/10/23

Performance Center Schedules & Photos

There are 8 centers located throughout the campus. The furniture in each photo may not match the exact arrangement on the day of the contest.

CENTER PHOTOS

Center 1         Center 2         Center 3       Center 4         Center 5         Center 6       Center 7         Center 8

 

SCHEDULES

ALL CENTERS SCHEDULE

Center 1 Schedule

Center 2 Schedule

Center 3 Schedule

Center 4 Schedule

Center 5 Schedule

Center 6 Schedule

Center 7 Schedule

Center 8 Schedule

 

Schedules last updated: 1/20/23 1:00 PM

Final Updates Completed.

 

Performance Information

One Act Plays

One Acts will perform in the auditorium. There will be a designated door for the unloading of props.Props can be stored in large warm up room (JH gym). Lighting for the one act will simply be up. We will be pulling the curtain if you need it. The stage will be loaded from the back of the stage and will be struck stage left. We will have a stage manager on hand to help with this. It is important to do this correctly to move the contest along. THERE WILL BE STORAGE OF PROPS IN THE SMALL GYM!!

Choral Reading

Choral Reading will perform in the high school library. Props for choral reading can be stored in the large warm up room or upstairs next to the elevator located at the door to the choral reading performance area.

Short Film

Please bring all necessary equipement to show your short film. We will have tech help, but you are responsible for your audio and visual connections

Updated 12/17/2022