Speech Trek News By Ann Arneill

The Speech Trek Committee has completed its efforts to recruit students from the Elk Grove high schools for the contest.  The contest will be held on Feb. 15, 2025 at 10AM at Cosumnes River College, so put that on your calendars!

Don’t forget about the Speech Trek Challenge that will be held via Zoom from 10:30AM to 11:30AM on Jan. 11, 2025.  Members will have a chance to discuss the topic in advance of the contest to pique their interest.  This year’s very timely topic is “Climate change is happening.  The effects are widespread and touch upon almost all aspects of our life on this planet.  Select an area of impact and explore the effects climate change is having on women in the USA, and around the world.”

Committee members have been preparing for the Challenge so that attendees will have background information to help them understand issues related to the topic and thought-provoking prompts to stimulate discussion.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the many branch members who contributed to Speech Trek in 2023-24.  We appreciate our long-standing contributors and welcome the many new contributors this year.  Because of your generosity, we can award $1,075 in cash prizes to our winners each year.  Donors include Becky Anton, Kathleen Asay, Alice G. Bauer, Shari Beck, RosaLee Black, Jean Bonar, Margaret Brown, Karen Burley, Jane Cooley, Kathleen Deaver, Deborah Dunn, Judy Foote, Lori Franz, Cheryl Fuller, Joan Hammond, Marlys Huez, Elizabeth Jordan, Della Knowles, Catherine Locke, Mary Miller, Bonnie Penix, Diane Petersen, Ann Pickens, Anne Rhodes, Marianne Rorden, Elizabeth Rose, Sandi Schoenman, Kathryn Schrumpf, Gloria Sears, Barbara Smith, Hedda Smithson, Diana Squire, Shirley Wheeler, Linda Whitney, Patricia Winkle and Gloria Yost.