Central High School theater teacher Justin Speck is one of two South Dakota teachers being honored by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). At the State One Act Festival last weekend, he accepted his Outstanding Theatre Educator Award.

Justin has been a theatre educator for 15 years. In his time at Central High School, he has grown his program to now include multiple curricular theatre classes and a drama club of over 200 members. He has consistently earned Superior ratings at the SDHSAA State One-Act Play Festival, and also directs multiple community theatre productions in the Black Hills area throughout the year.

Joey Lore, Technical Theatre Director at Central High School had this to say about Justin Speck: “He lives a life of dedicated service to our students, school, city, and state. His unconditional passion for theatre is infectious. Over the course of 15 backbreaking years, oftentimes seven days a week, he has single-handedly changed the culture of our school.”

Congratulations Mr. Speck!