Help Us Raise Our Voices

My Students

A 2002 Speech Team graduate put it this way: "[Speech] was such an amazing outlet and home for me. Not only did it teach me...confidence and public speaking, it made me feel like I belonged somewhere in high school." Let's ensure that students on our team today have the same quality experience.

One of our former Speech Team members, who competed from 2008-2012, when thinking back on her years on the team said that "it's hard to pick one memory when being part of the team was full of so many small, affirming moments that made the overall experience great.

I could say my favorite memory is a time I qualified for finals and gave one of my best performances, but is my favorite part that or how excited the whole team was for me when I placed well? Or the fact that even when I didn't place well, I knew I was just as much a part of our speech family? Or having dance parties in the middle of meets? Whatever the 'best' part was, I'm so glad speech was part of my high school experience." Indeed, her words capture our team perfectly. Absolutely, we are a 'sport' where no one sits on the bench. Our students celebrate their own successes just as much as they celebrate the successes of others. Each student pushes herself to the top, just as much as she strives to pull others up with her.

My Project

Our Informative Speakers will use the art materials to create engaging visuals that fortify their words. The stands, trays, portfolio cases, and so forth will help them to store, display, and carry their creations. Our Discussion and Extemporaneous Speakers need office supplies to help them store and organize their research. Our Discussants also need resource books to help them build a foundational understanding of this year's topic, "Sports in America: Has Our National Obsession Gone Too Far?". Our Extemporaneous Readers need copies of the novel The Book Thief, which is the book they will be interpreting cuttings from both this season and next season. Nine of the the thirteen speech categories need black paper for backing scripts, and all students--no matter the category--need pens and folders for crafting and storing their materials.

Finances have been tight with our team lately, but yet we want to ensure that students on our team today have the same quality resources and opportunities as those who were on the team in years past.

Many of our students come from homes that lack the fiscal resources for extracurriculars; thereby, having these materials funded will help our students focus on their words, their poise, and their potential rather than on what resources they lack.