Four eloquent high school debaters successfully participated in the first round of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Annual California Speech Trek Contest on Saturday, February 1 in the Friends Room of the Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library. Kailia Garfield, senior, Nicholas Jung, junior and Ethan Ma, freshman, from Mark Keppel High School, and Natalie Chan, sophomore from Brea Olinda High School, delivered their insightful speeches on the following prompt: Select one area of impact and explore the effect climate change is having on women in the USA and around the world. The students demonstrated their grasp of the topic as they spoke before family, friends, and branch members with poise and confidence.
The event, sponsored by the Alhambra-San Gabriel branch of AAUW, was moderated by Kathleen Doty, the branch’s accomplished Speech Trek Coordinator. Videographer Michael Olmos volunteered his time to create videos of each speaker to send to Speech Trek CA.
First place winner, Kailia Garfield, will receive $500. Nicolas Jung, second place winner will receive $250 and Ethan Ma, third place winner will receive $100. Gloria Ing is the skilled and expert coach of these three debaters. Natalie Chan, fourth place winner, will receive $50. Judging the students for content, organization and delivery were Veronica Alvarez, lawyer and the branch’s Membership Vice-President; Jane Anderson, past Alhambra USD board member and the branch’s Fund Vice-President; and Robert Sanchez, seasoned speech and debate judge.
The winner of the state contest will receive $2500. The second place winner will receive $2000, and the third place winner, $1000. Fourth and fifth place finalists will be awarded $500 each. Finalists with honorable mention will also receive cash prizes.
Finalists from AAUW’s Alhambra-San Gabriel branch have placed in the top three positions seven times since Speech Trek was established in 2007. They are Peggy Truong (3rd in 2007), Tiffany Chia (3rd in 2008), Alexandra Lossada (2nd in 2009), Pavin Trinh (1st in 2013), Sharon Lu (1st in 2016), Sabrina Sy (3rd in 2017), and Elizabeth Ma (2nd in 2023).
To learn more about AAUW Alhambra-San Gabriel branch and the community projects it supports, please visit alhsangab-ca.aauw.net.
