Speech Trek’s Legacy of Inspiring Topics

Each year the Speech Trek Committee meets to carefully select the topic for the annual speech contest. The committee strives to propose topics that are timely, thought–provoking, and open–ended. Here are the topics and the winners for all previous contests:

2024-2025 – Select one area of impact and explore the effect climate change is having on women in the USA and around the world.

• 1^st place – TBD
• 2^nd place –TBD
• 3^rd place –TBD

2023–2024 – 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?

• 1^st place – Addison Horn, Auburn
• 2^nd place – Shreeya Patel, Poway-Penasquitos
• 3^rd place – Nenas Ajji, La Mesa- El Cajon

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• 4^th   Place – Nicolas Jung, California Online
• 5^th Place – Angelina Yip, Alhambra-San Gabriel

2022–2023 – How can communities, organizations and citizens of all ages help protect and expand voting rights?

• 1^st place – Teddy Garcia, Camarillo
• 2^nd place – Elizabeth Ma, Alhambra–San Gabriel
• 3^rd place – Ameya Ravi, Fremont

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• 4^th   Place – Adrian Back, Redlands
• 5^th Place – Kyra Sharma, La Mesa–El Cajon

2021–2022 – 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?

• 1^st place – Kristine Sy, Poway Penasquitos
• 2^nd place – Rhea Jain, Fremont 
• 3^rd place – Sanjana Kumar, Del Mar Leucadia

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• 4^th   Place – Maren DeMille, Sacramento
• 5^th Place – Danielle Graham, Camarillo

2020–2021 – “Has social media helped or hindered the breaking down of barriers for women and girls?”

• 1^st place – Lilian Chang, California Online
• 2^nd place – Halle Schaffer, Del Mar Leucadia
• 3^rd place – Lauryn McGuire, La Mesa–El Cajon

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• 4^th place (tie) – Rhea Jain
• 4^th place (tie – Liliana Jaquet

2019–2020– “Are men and women truly equal today, or are the Suffragettes of 1920 still suffering in 2020?”

• 1^st place – Olivia Berman, Lompoc–Vandenberg
• 2^nd place – Carter Hill, Foothills of El Dorado County
• 3^rd place – Jackson Patten, Stockton

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• Namita Shyam, California Online
• Gelasia Twana, Morgan Hill

2018–2019 – How can we eliminate violence aimed at our schools? Are men and women truly equal today, or are the suffragists of 1920 still suffering in 2020?

• 1^ST place – Dominique Ruedaflores, Poway/Penasquitos
• 2^nd place – Christine Corry, Roseville/So. Placer
• 3^rd place – Sophia Ruster, Morgan Hill

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• Kristina Perry, Stockton Branch
• Nicholas Andrian, Alhambra/San Gabriel

2017–2018–How can we stand up to sexism? What can I do as an individual, what can organizations like AAUW do to break down stereotypes and biases in school, in the military, at work, and in our communities?

• 1^st place – Caroline Irving, Redlands
• 2^nd place – Rohan Sharma 
• 3^rd place – Chloe Johnson

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• Erin McCallon, Lompoc–Vandenberg
• Sarah Bower, Half Moon Bay

2016 –2017 – Is it time to pass the Equal Rights Amendment?  If so, how can this be accomplished?  How can organizations such as AAUW help in getting this amendment ratified once and for all?

• 1^ST place – Nikhita Gopisetty
• 2^nd place – Sabrina Sy,Alhambra–San Gabriel
• 3^rd place – Sarah Murphy, Rocklin

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• Jocelyn Tzeng, La Mesa–El Cajon
• Kathy Le, Sacramento

2015–2016 – What is gender bias and inequality? What is its impact on people? Why should organizations such as AAUW continue to work to change its practice?

• 1^st place – Sharon Lu, Alhambra/San Gabriel
• 2^nd place – Caitlyn Jordan, Roseville/So. Placer
• 3^rd place – Claire Gorham, Mariposa

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• Sam Reynolds, Half Moon Bay
• Sabrina Fleming, California Online

2014–2015 – College: Is it worth the time and expense?

• 1^ST place – Emma Harrington, Napa
• 2^nd place – Ciera Miller, Sacramento
• 3^rd place – Sydney Jones

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• Tina Mellor, La Mesa/El Cajon
• Claire Gorham, Mariposa

2013–2014 –Women at the top…why not?

• 1^st place – Anneka Sonstroem, Stockton
• 2^nd place – Divya Gopisetty, Morgan Hill
• 3^rd place – Marian Pagaduan,Oakdale–Riverbank–Escalon

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• Tina Mellor, La Mesa/El Cajon
• Caitlyn Cook, Alhambra–San Gabriel

2012–2013 –SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN SCHOOL…big deal?

• 1^st place – Pavin Trinh, Alhambra/San Gabriel
• 2^nd place – Kaitlyn Schultz,  Oakdale/Escalon/Riverbank
• 3^rd place – Tierney Pretzer,  Mariposa Branch

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• 4^th place – Mikaela DeRose – Sacramento
• 5^th place – Sierra Burkhart – Sonora

2011–2012 – BULLYING:  So what?

• 2^nd place –Shelina Noorjad, Visalia/Sequoia
• 1^st place – Kyron Richards, Sacramento
• 3^rd place – Daisy Figueroa, Fallbrook

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• 4^th place – Monica Muth, Sonora
• 5^th place – Elizabeth Wilson, Big Bear Valley

2010–2011 – Seventy percent of the 1.2 billion people living in poverty are women.  What is the most significant barrier to be overcome to lift these women out of poverty?  What organization, foundation or program is having the greatest impact on this barrier?

• 1^st place –Emily Shumway, Sonora
• 2^nd place – Jasmine Khangura, Sacramento
• 3^rd place – Montanna Tarkington, Visalia/Sequoia

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• Jesse Nelson, Roseville/So. Placer
• Susan Vang, Stockton

2009–2010 – If you could organize 100,000 women, millions of dollars in resources and thousands of volunteer hours to bring equality to women in one area.  What would that area be? Why? 

• 1^st place – Melanie Nadon, East San Gabriel
• 2^nd place – Haley Moss, La Mesa/El Cajon
• 3^rd place – Ela Banerjee, Roseville/So. Placer

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• Victoria Rios, Whittier
• Hannah Song, Alhambra/San Gabriel

2008–2009 –Where the Girls are – Gender Equity in Education

• 1^st place – Alexandria Aiello, Porterville
• 2^nd place – Maria Florendo, San Mateo
• 3^rd place – Alexandra Lossada, Alhambra/San Gabriel

2007–2008 – What’s Behind the Pay Gap?

• 1^st place – Heidi Medema, Oakdale/Riverbank/Escalon
• 2^nd place – Tiffany Chia, Alhambra/San Gabriel
• 3^rd place – Cisalee Burgess, Roseville/So. Placer

2006–2007 – Breaking Through Barriers

• 1st place – Anna Torres, Roseville/So Placer
• 2nd place – Hayley Thirlwall, San Mateo
• 3rd place – Peggy Truong, Alhambra/San Gabriel