In 1943, the S’Pekin Dragons had their very first IHSA State Champion in Verse Reading. Ever since, PCHS has had over 60 State Finalists and 18 State Champions. Below is a list of the State Finalists and Champion from Pekin Community High School since the iHSA started keeping records back in 1943.

IHSA State Finalists

1943 - Mary Jean Dimler - State Champion Verse Reading

1944 - Billie Jean Allen - State Champion Extemporaneous Speaking

1944 - Patricia Champion - 3rd Verse Reading

1951 - George Beres - State Champion Oratorical Declamation

1952 - Louis Beres - 3rd Original Oratory

1952 - Robert Currie - State Champion Extemporaneous Speaking

1952 - Marge Garman - State Champion Serious Reading

1953 - Louis Beres - 5th Original Oratory

1953 - Lucille Colin - 4th Original Comedy

1953 - Darrell Lacock - 5th Extemporaneous Speaking

1953 - Holly Nimmo - 5th Radio Speaking

1954 - Pat Boyer - 4th Original Oratory

1954 - Michael D’Arcy - State Champion Radio Speaking

1954 - Darrell Lacock - State Champion Extemporaneous Speaking

1954 - Sharon McGarvey - 2nd Verse Reading

1955 - Leta Gray - 5th Extemporaneous Speaking

1955 - Rosalie Utech - State Champion Original Comedy

1957 - Barbara Ford - State Champion After Dinner Speaking

1957 - Gerald Berchtold - 4th Oratorical Declamation

1958 - John Elliff - 3rd Original Oratory

1958 - Ann Klein - 4th Verse Reading

1959 - Gary Avery - 3rd Radio Speaking

1960 - Kent Planck - 4th Extemporaneous Speaking

1990 - Kathryn Prochl - 3rd Serious Reading

1961 - Ralph Jones - 5th Original Oratory

1961 - Mary Venovich - 4th Verse Reading

1962 - Ron Friederich - 4th Original Oratory

1962 - Jim Ramey - 5th Comedy Reading

1963 - Richard Dancey - 3rd Original Oratory

1963 - Jim Eichelberger - 2nd Serious Reading

1963 - Jim Ramey - 5th Comedy Reading

1963 - Kenneth Search - 3rd Extemporaneous Speaking

1964 - Larry Kenney - 3rd Radio Speaking

1964 - Carol Vuciach - 5th Prose Reading

1964 - Linda Wilson - 3rd Verse Reading

1966 - John Alesandrini - State Champion Original Oratory

1966 - Debbie Pitcher - 5th Comedy Reading

1969 - Ellen Hallstein - 2nd Comedy Reading

1970 - Gene Alesandrini - State Champion Original Oratory

1970 - Gene Alesandrini - 5th Oratorical Declamation

1972 - Dave Snell - State Champion Radio Speaking

1974 - Carol Steinke - State Champion Oratorical Declamation

1975 - Kimberly Boehm - 2nd Original Oratory

1977 - Jay Greener - 4th Radio Speaking

1978 - Jay Greener - 2nd Radio Speaking

1978 - Matt Schaeffer - 4th Prose Reading

1980 - Steve Sudhoff - State Champion Extemporaneous Speaking

1982 - Lisa Huessner & John Knight - 3rd Dramatic Duet Acting

1982 - Greg Lhamon - 2nd Humorous Interpretation

1983 - Tom Doyle - State Champion Extemporaneous Speaking

1983 - John Knight - 4th Verse Reading

1985 - Anders Hellstrom - 4th Special Occasion Speaking

1985 - Mike Jacoby - 5th Extemporaneous Speaking

1986 - Penny Petrow - 3rd Original Oratory

1986 - Penny Petrow - 4th Prose Reading

1986 - Mike Jacoby - 2nd Extemporaneous Speaking

1987 - Jerry Sheehan - 4th Extemporaneous Speaking

1988 - Craig Carmichael - 3rd Prose Reading

1988 - Evan Karachalios - 6th Extemporaneous Speaking

1988 - Donita Weinstein - 4th Verse Reading

1989 - Evan Karachalios - 5th Radio Speaking

1989 - Sean Flaherty - 3rd Extemporaneous Speaking

1990 - Glen Ellen Weinstein - 3rd Verse Reading

1990 - Adam Wood - 6th Prose Reading

1991 - Susan Cedarquist - 5th Original Oratory

1991 - Phuong Huynh - 3rd Oratorical Declamation

1991 - Andrea Shearer - State Champion Verse Reading

1992 - Jamie Welton - State Champion Extemporaneous Speaking

1992 - Shannon Tebben - 4th Oratorical Declamation

1995 - Sarah Meinen - 2nd Original Oratory

1996 - Sarah Meinen - 2nd Original Oratory

1997 - Laura Woelfle - 5th Impromptu Speaking

1997 - Laura Woelfle - State Champion Extemporaneous Speaking

2000 - Matt Sanders - 5th Original Oratory

2001 - Lacy Lowrey - 3rd Original Comedy

2002 - Chris Ashbaker - 7th Radio Speaking

2002 - Jon Meinen - 5th Prose Reading

2002 - Curt Byars - 5th Original Oratory

2004 - Jess Carrick - 2nd Radio Speaking

2004 - Blake Stubbs - 5th Impromptu Speaking

2004 - Liz Smith - 7th Special Occasion Speaking

2007 - Andrew Scott - 3rd Prose Reading

2007 - Andrew Scott - 5th Radio Speaking

2014 - Annika Rockhill - 4th Impromptu Speaking

2016 - Jenna Schultz - 6th Original Oratory

2016 - Chandler Songer - 3rd Radio Speaking

2018 - Alexander Redding - 5th Original Comedy

2021 - Elisabeth Sandoval - 7th Original Oratory