Nora Thornber earns Lemont’s first IHSA Speech State Finals medal since 2021

Making her state finals debut, Lemont High School senior Nora Thornber picked up the school’s first speech state medal in four years. Thornber placed third in Impromptu Speaking at the 2025 IHSA Speech State Finals, which were contested on February 21-22 at the Peoria Civic Center. 

In the Impromptu Speaking category, students provide an original expository oral presentation using their own content, format, style and thoughts. Thornber advanced to the state finals after a runner-up finish at the IHSA Thornton Sectional.

Lemont placed fourth at the IHSA Southland College Prep Regional. Thornber, seniors Julianna Duran (Radio Speaking) and Shea Holt (Dramatic Interpretation), and junior Jasmine Greene (Special Occasion Speaking) all won regional titles. Lemont advanced entries to sectional competition in 10 of 15 events.

IHSA Speech Website

Head coach Phil Lazzari’s team won its 16th straight South Suburban Conference-Blue Division crown this season, with Holt securing an SSC title in Dramatic Interpretation.

Lemont has advanced an entry to state finals competition in 12 of 17 seasons, with a school record four state qualifiers in both 2022 and 2024. The top three performers (including third place ties) from each of 15 events at six IHSA Sectionals advance to the IHSA State Finals.

Delia Ercoli ‘11 and Alana Nisperos ‘24 are the only Lemont students to compete in two state finals events in the same year, and Nisperos is the only student in program history to qualify for the state finals in the same event on multiple occasions (Informative Speaking - 2022, 2024). Nisperos also is the only Lemont student to compete in three state finals events, while Ercoli, Elle Jeffress ‘23, Nick Lambrakis ‘15, Nour Longi ‘21 and Aubree Tally ‘13 each qualified twice. A full list of Lemont’s state finalists can be found below (medalists denoted in parentheses).

Dramatic Interpretation: Aubree Tally ‘13 (2013), Nick Lambrakis ‘15 (2015), Grace Smiles ‘18 (2018), Destina Sarussi ‘24 (2022)
Extemporaneous Speaking: Peter Marzano ‘14 (2014), Max Schuette ‘24 (2024)
Humorous Interpretation: Bryan Carver ‘09 (2009), Aubree Tally ‘13 (3rd place, 2011), Lauren Rearden ‘21 (2020)
Impromptu Speaking: Melissa Nuñez ‘22 (2022), Alana Nisperos ‘24 (2024), Nora Thornber ‘25 (3rd place, 2025)
Informative Speaking: Delia Ercoli ‘11 (2nd place, 2011), Hailey Jones ‘17 (2017), Alana Nisperos ‘24 (2022, 2024)
Oratorical Declamation: Delia Ercoli ‘11 (2011), Nick Lambrakis ‘15 (2014), Kiara Hardy ‘17 (4th place, 2017), Emmie Hunnewell ‘24 (2024)
Original Oratory: Nour Longi ‘21 (2020)
Performance in the Round: 2021 (3rd place)
Prose Reading: Devin Becker ‘17 (2017), Elle Jeffress ‘23 (2021)
Radio Speaking: Ryan Luzzo ‘14 (2013), Nour Longi ‘21 (6th place, 2021), Becca Zagorski ‘15 (2015)
Special Occasion Speaking: Reema Dhawan ‘20 (3rd place, 2020), Elle Jeffress ‘23 (2022)

Dhawan (Special Occasion Speaking, 2020), Lambrakis (Oratorical Declamation, 2014), Longi (Radio Speaking, 2021), Nisperos (Informative Speaking, 2024) and Schuette (Extemporaneous Speaking, 2024) are the only Lemont students to win an IHSA Sectional title.