Making its return for the first time since the pandemic, the speech league will start their competition season soon.
At the beginning of the school year, many new teachers joined the AAHS staff. One of them being club adviser, Julie Storm. Storm worked as a junior high reading teacher for many years. She decided this year to get a new start and come over to the high school. In addition to Storm getting a new start, she also wanted to bring back the speech club.
“This is my first time being a club adviser,” Storm said, “I was the junior high majorette adviser for many years, so I am used to the challenges that can come with running a student activity. Getting the paperwork done is the most challenging obstacle for me now.”
The speech league is a part of the Laurel Highlands Branch. Each school district gets together with other districts across Pennsylvania and they compete in 12 different categories. Each of these categories is based on a different subject and provides students with different opportunities.
“I believe that kids should join because it’s just another way to get involved. I am not the best at public speaking, but this club gives me the opportunity to work on that, prepare for the future, while also bringing back the Altoona speech league legacy,” senior Addisen McDonald said.
Joining speech league can benefit students both academically and personally. It can help build up their confidence and also help with their communication skills. Overall, the skills that students learn from speech league can help them in the future.
“Students can get involved by coming to our meetings, which are held once a month, and coming to the office hours offered every Tuesday and Thursday to help with speeches being created,” Storm said.
