SPEECH TREK 2021 FREMONT BRANCH WINNER
Speech 2021 Topic: “Has social media helped or hindered the breaking down of barriers for women and girls?”
Rhea Jain (from Fremont’s Washington H.S.) won First Place in our 2021 branch contest (winning $100). She also went on to win 4th Place Honorable Mention with a cash award of $250.00 in the CA State AAUW Semi Final Round. Rhea was very excited and thanked the Speech Trek Committee and our branch: “…thank you for the support and guidance you’ve given me as well!” Rhea mentioned: “I’ve always loved public speaking, and [have] competed in speech and debate tournaments for about 3 years now. Joining middle school speech and debate was definitely one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! Speaking to an audience, especially when it is about a topic I’m passionate about (such as gender equality), allows me to spread the message and empower others as well.”
Rhea has even stepped up to become our very first Student Ambassador for AAUW’s Fremont Branch’s Speech Trek. In this role, she hopes to teach and motivate other students about the art of public speaking (especially related to social issues), fostering habits of persuasion and self-confidence in fellow women through training sessions, speech drills and improvs. She will contribute to our Speech Trek outreach and help lead discussions to make sure every voice is heard without a fear of being judged. Rhea will leverage her experience teaching middle schoolers debate skills to make Speech Trek inclusive and relevant to many more students in our community. In the future, Rhea plans to major in law, political science or business.