The Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota recently gathered in St. Cloud and on Sept. 15, the Minnesota Speech Coaches Association honored Worthington High School's Linda Neugebauer as the AA Speech Coach of the Year.
Neugebauer has been coaching speech for 27 years, dedicating her time and energy to helping students find their voice and their confidence, She said upon receiving the award: “I am so honored to be a part of the Minnesota Speech tradition and grateful to my colleagues for this tremendous honor."
During her tenure as Worthington’s head and co-head speech coach, Neugebauer has been a strong voice for the arts, especially speech, in Greater Minnesota. During the COVID pandemic, she guided the Worthington team through an online season, navigating multiple video platforms, setting up circle lights and students in individual classrooms to keep the program alive and thriving. The last two years, she has been thrilled to bring students to the State Speech Meet once again.
Practice for the 2024 speech season will begin in November, and Neugebauer will be coaching alongside co-head coach Brandon Caster and Middle School Coach Erin Makela.
