Q: What made you want to join the speech team?

A: “I like to talk a lot, yeah, and I love performing. I’m in theater too, and I thought that speech would be a great way to help build my confidence with that.”

Q: Do you prefer to compete in one event more than the other?

A: “I like my SOS more because that’s a writing one. So I feel like I like my writing more [compared to] a speech that I took from someone else.”

Q: How has your speech season been so far?

A: “Pretty good. I got bumped up on the varsity team. So that’s fun. And I broke finals [on varsity].”

Q: How have you improved your performance in SOS?

A: “At first I was very uncomfortable with the idea of writing and performing because I thought I wouldn’t be very good at [SOS]. And now I’m more comfortable [and] … confident.”

Q: How has the culture been like on the team for you?

A: “It’s been very great. I love the community. I think when you compete at like seven in the morning everyone is so good together. It’s just really one big community of nervous people.”

Q: Do you have a specific mentor you look up to? 

A: “Claire Wynkoop.”

Q: Do you have a favorite memory from your time on the team?

A: “I just love [going to practice] every day after school. We go practice upstairs, and I just love being with my friends. We did a little talent show from my friend group, and like, showed what our speeches were like so far. It was very early in the season, so they were kind of bad, but it was just great seeing everyone’s work of what they did so far.”

Q: Do you have any goals for the season?

A: “I’m just [going] to continue being more confident in what I talk about.”