Four Southeast Missouri students and Readers Theatre group won medals at the state speech and debate championships.

The Missouri State High School Activities Association-sponsored event, held each spring at the University of Missouri-Columbia, hosts top speech and forensic winners from across the state. First place competitors advance to national competition.

Champ Friend of Cape Girardeau won fifth place in radio.

Adrienne Collins of Sikeston won first place and Eric Weaver of Kennett won third place in the poetry category.

Aaron Wheeler of Poplar Bluff won sixth place in humorous interpretation.

The Readers Theatre group from Kennett High School won second place.

These students were top winners at the district speech and debate competition held at Southeast Missouri State University.

Placing at the district competition:

Original oratory: Helen Wilbanks of Jackson, first place; Adrienne Collins of Sikeston, second place; and Cindy Harrell of Poplar Bluff, third place.

Radio speaking: Champ Friend of Cape Central, first place; Alison Grawitch of Windsor, second place; Kris Kucker of Perryville, third place.

Lincoln-Douglas Debate: Andrew Luehrs of Jackson, first place; Justin Cox of Scott City, second place; Annise Maguire of Cape Central, third place.

Cross Examination Debate: Bridget Weneger and Liz Shepard of Hillsboro, first place.

Storytelling: Anna Marie Martin of Arcadia Valley, first place; Julia Schwent of Herculaneum, second place; Josh Thomas of Doniphan, third place; Ellen Flesh of DeSoto, fourth place.

Prose: Nick Hearne of Clearwater, first place; Tiffaney Pulley of Kennett, second place; Michele Lucas of Festus, third place; Maresia Sneed of Zalma, fourth place.

Poetry: Justin Cox of Scott City, first place; Chareca Harris of Poplar Bluff, second place; Eric Weaver of Kennett, third place; Adrienne Collins of Sikeston, fourth place.

Humorous Interpretation: Justin Cox of Scott City, first place; Aaron Wheeler of Poplar Bluff, second place; Jamesy Smith of Doniphan, third place.

Extemporaneous Speaking: Andrew Luehrs of Jackson, first place; Clint Morgan of Kennett, second place; Jon Block of Hillsboro, third place.

Dramatic Interpretation: Erin Duvall of Poplar Bluff, first place; Jacob Kennedy of Jackson, second place; Fawn Pigg of Doniphan, third place.

Duet Acting: Aaron Wheeler and Chris Richardson of Poplar Bluff, first place; Ryan Besand and Rachel DeWilde of Perryville, second place; Keith Fluegge and Kyle Fluegge of Windsor, third place; Helen Wilbanks and Kim Williams of Jackson, fourth place.

Readers Theatre: Kennett High School, first place; Park Hills Central, second place.

One Act Play: Perryville High School, first place; Poplar Bluff High School, second place.