Speech season kicked into high gear at the Western Regional tournament this weekend.

While debate events were going on at Glacier High School, speech events were Saturday at Flathead High School. Hundreds of high school competitors were involved at both Kalispell schools.

By noon, competitors streamed out of classrooms after finishing quarterfinals, waiting to find out if they would be among the 16 ranked high enough in their events to move on to semifinals.

During a one-hour wait, the mood was light as students relieved tension by chatting, listening to music, reading, posing for photos — even dancing. The anticipation would build in the few minutes between the time coded names were posted and semifinals began.

“It is nerve-wracking,” said Flathead High School senior Kodee Wagner, although she appeared calm and collected, which may have to do with the fact that she has been competing in Expository Speaking for four years.

Wagner got into Expository because she was able to make visual aids — namely posters — that accompany a 10-minute memorized informative speech.

“I’ve given a speech on the doomsday asteroid, the monster volcano in Yellowstone, how terraforming Mars could ruin things on Mars, and now mosquitoes, how deadly they are,” Wagner said.

Posters may be simple but impactful, she said, holding up one with blown-up macro photo of a mosquito. Posters may also be complex or interactive — she showed another poster that displays information on malaria on one half with the other half covered in a white cloth. She lifted up the cloth to reveal portraits of popes or “men of the cloth.”

“I talk about the famous people mosquitoes have killed from malaria,” Wagner said. “I got creative and found a way I could make that interactive. I think the interactive posters help a lot. Maybe the judge is getting a little tired of your speaking style if it’s toward the end of your speech, so you add something that catches their attention.”

BEYOND prepared memorized speeches, there are short-preparation events where competitors have minutes to prepare a speech.

Hellgate High School junior Zoe Nelson was in one of these short prep events, Extemporaneous Speaking. She has to be on the ball when it comes to social, political and current events going on in the world in order to prepare a five- to seven-minute persuasive speech in 30 minutes. She used to compete in debate, so she’s used to keeping up with current events.

“You have to pay attention to what’s going on in the world,” Nelson said, noting topics that have come up such as the presidential election, France and the Keystone XL Pipeline.

Glacier High School sophomore Kyle Wenum’s event, Impromptu Speaking, is similar to Extemporaneous Speaking in that it is a short-prep event analyzing current social issues through research, however competitors only have three minutes to prepare a three- to five-minute speech based on a quotation or editorial cartoon.

“You have to do some research so you know facts about people, current events, history — and pretty much everything,” Wenum said.

These were just a sampling of the 12 speech and debate events.

An estimated 800 varsity and junior varsity students from around the state displayed an impressive talent, composure and poise over the two-day tournament.

Hilary Matheson is a reporter for The Daily Inter Lake. She may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.