Speech Trek Challenge By Ann Arneill

The Speech Trek Challenge will be held Jan. 15, 2022 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 am.  It’s a warm-up for the Speech Trek Contest to be held on Feb. 19, 2022.

At the Speech Trek Challenge, we will discuss this year’s topic: “Has the United States lived up to its pledge of liberty and justice for all?  Would requiring the study of diversity, equity, and inclusion in a high school setting help ensure liberty and justice for all?”

The Speech Trek Committee will provide some background information, and then participants will break up into groups to discuss the topic.  The gathering will end with breakout groups briefly summarizing their discussions for the group.

We hope you will be interested in previewing this topic with us.

Speech Trek Recruiting Students for February Competition By Ann Arneill

Speech Trek is getting into full swing with our busy fall season.  We work with all nine campuses in the Elk Grove Unified High School District participating in our public speaking contest. Now is the time to recruit students to participate by distributing our promotional materials and having students sign up for November workshops, which Shari Beck and Ann Arneill will conduct.  At these workshops, we inform students about the contest rules, present the topic, give them resources for researching the topic and provide public speaking tips.  Once the students who decide to participate complete their speech drafts, we will give them feedback on their speeches.  The topic this year is “Has the US lived up to its pledge of liberty and justice for all?  Would requiring the study of diversity, equity, and inclusion in a high school setting help ensure liberty and justice for all?”  The contest will be held on Feb. 19, 2022.  We hope to conduct it in-person, COVID-19 pandemic conditions permitting.

Don’t forget about the Speech Trek Challenge to be held on Jan. 15, 2022.  Members will have a chance to discuss the topic in advance of the contest to pique their interest.

Speech Trek News By Ann Arneill and Shari Beck

The Speech Trek Challenge is scheduled for Saturday, January 15, 2022. Come explore this year’s topic!

The Speech Trek Topic for 2021-2022 is “Has the U.S. lived up to its pledge of liberty and justice for all? Would requiring the study of diversity, equity, and inclusion in a high school setting help insure liberty and justice for all?”

The Speech Trek Contest  will happen on Saturday, February 19, 2022.

Speech Trek Contest Celebrates Its Donors By Ann Arneill

The Speech Trek Contest season is drawing to a close. We urge you to attend our final event, the May 15 branch meeting, where our first-prize winner, Saher Haidari, will deliver her speech on the topic:  “Has social media helped or hindered the breaking down of barriers for women and girls?”

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the many branch members who contributed to Speech Trek in 2020.  Because of your generosity, we can award $1,075 in cash prizes to our winners each year.  Donors include Becky Anton, Ann Arneill, Kathleen Asay, Alice G. Bauer, Shari Beck, Jean Bonar, Margaret Brown, Karen Burley, Deborah Dunn, Judy Foote, Lori Franz, Cheryl Fuller, Joan Hammond, Jennifer Henderson, Marlys Fredrickson Huez, Elizabeth Jordan, Nancy Lawrence, Catherine Locke, Vicki L. Nicholson, Carol Nyman, Marjorie Patzer, Bonnie Penix , Diane Petersen, Diane Preece, Elizabeth Rose, Karen Ann Rystad, Mary Schneider, Sandi Schoenman, Kathryn Schrumpf, Gloria Sears, Hedda Smithson, Linda Sparks, Anna Storey, Shirley Wheeler, Linda Whitney, Patricia Winkle, Sandra Winter, Leitha Wyant and Gloria Yost.

14^th Annual Speech Trek Contest Celebrates Its Winner By Ann Arneill

On Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, the Speech Trek Committee held its first-ever virtual contest via Zoom with great success.  A full audience listened to 12 students from six Elk Grove Unified School District high schools speak on the topic:  “Has social media helped or hindered the breaking down of barriers for women and girls?”

First-place winner was Saher Haidari, a junior at Pleasant Grove High School, receiving $500.

Saher Haidari

Second-place winner, Katelyn Evans, a junior from Franklin High School, received $300.  Third-place winner was Annmarie Fan, a junior from Franklin High School, who received $100. Also from Pleasant Grove High School, Maren DeMille, received honorable mention and was awarded $75.

The Sacramento Branch’s winning speaker is entered in the AAUW CA Speech Trek Semi-Finals.   If Saher Haidari makes it into the top three, she will be invited to compete in the Finals for $1,500.  Saher will also be presenting her speech at the May branch meeting—something to look forward to because she is a very dynamic speaker.

Dr. Virginia Kidd, communications professor emeritus at CSUS, along with Mark Hoffman and Gary Pettigrew, both Toastmaster Club members, judged the event.  Speech Trek Committee member Kathleen Deaver served as timekeeper for the contest.  Thanks to Joe Kelett for technical assistance and branch member Karen Burley for her help.

Speech Trek Contest By Ann Arneill, Speech Trek Co-Director

The 14^th Annual Speech Trek contest will be held on Feb. 20, 2021 from 9 a.m. to noon via Zoom.  The link will be sent a few days before the event to those who have registered through EventBrite.  You can still register to attend by going to this link:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/speech-trek-contest-tickets-133929453601

Students from the Elk Grove Unified High School District will be participating.  The topic this year is, “Has social media helped or hindered the breaking down of barriers for women and girls?” Students are very excited and engaged by it.  They will be delivering 5- to 6-minute speeches for cash prizes.  We hope to see you there!