Speech Trek is a speaking contest open to all California high school students. Since 2007, Speech Trek has been showcasing talented young people responding to topics related to AAUW’s mission. Contests at branch and state levels provide students with opportunities to develop and sharpen research, critical thinking, and communication skills.

Speech Trek is an AAUW California Project that begins on the branch level with a speech tournament for local students and culminates with three top statewide finalists performing their five-to-six-minute speeches at the AAUW California annual meeting in April.

California Online has been participating in Speech Trek for over 10 years and has had one State first place winner (2021) and several 4^th and 5^th place winners (honorable mentions).  California Online sponsors participants who wish to compete but don’t have a local branch to sponsor them.  All mentoring and coaching is conducted online and the final contest for its first place winner is through a Zoom event, generally at the end of February.  Members are encouraged to solicit participants from their local high schools.

The topic for 2023-2024 is:  If an educated population is essential to a nation’s prosperity, then how can we ensure a robust public-school curriculum that is accessible to all and teaches historically accurate information?

Click HERE to see Nicolas Jung’s winning video.

For more information please contact Cathy Foxhoven, CA Online Speech Trek Coordinator at iambasque@gmail.com.