The Incredible Value of the National Speech and Debate Championship Sweepstakes Award. As a student at Grove City College, Kaitlyn is pursuing a double major in music and philosophy and hopes to use that in a career in public speaking and advocacy.

How did IEW help Kaitlyn hone her writing? What advice does she give to other parents and students regarding public speaking? I know it can be easy to look at the curriculum, to look at the nervous eyes of a kid when you suggest the idea of stepping in front of a classroom, whether it’s a family classroom in the living room or 25 kids at a traditional private or public school. It can be intimidating. I don’t want to put the kid in that situation. Oh, maybe it’s really not that big of a deal. But I would say that it’s actually one of the most important skills that I ever learned in my life, and the thing that I turn to most on a daily basis in conversations with professors, in professional opportunities and really every aspect of my life: the ability to confidently communicate and to speak publicly. So when Andrew suggests that you use those keyword outlines, and when IEW materials suggest kids speak to each other in partners and then in front of a group, I would say never underestimate the power of that or brush it aside as just an â€Å"optional† part of the curriculum. Because I really believe it’s such a crucial part of education as a whole, and when you pair it alongside writing, as I found continually in college, the oral communication skills and written communication skills bolster each other and work in tandem. So you should really be focusing on both simultaneously. Enjoy hearing more of Julie and Kaitlyn’s conversation and enter our drawing for the chance to win a copy of the NCFCA Comprehensive Guide to Speech.