The Chula Vista Elementary School District has announced its yearly speech competition will return for the upcoming academic year, inviting students from fourth grade through middle school to showcase their public speaking abilities. Participants will address the question of how a single concept might transform the world.
Organizers are encouraging young speakers to consider ideas of any scale or type that could create positive change, whether in their local neighborhood or on a global level. Students will be evaluated on the depth of their thinking, how well they structure their presentations, and their poise while speaking.
The competition will begin with contests at individual school sites, with top performers moving forward to compete at the district level. Semifinal rounds are scheduled for February 22 through 24, 2027, with the final competition taking place the following day on February 25.
Winners at the district finals will receive monetary prizes, with top finishers in each grade level earning $300, runners-up receiving $200, and third-place speakers awarded $100. Beyond cash prizes, first-place winners will see their accomplishments featured on social media, commemorated with a poster at their school, and marked by a trophy that will remain on display at their campus for a year. These students will also be asked to perform their speeches at community gatherings organized by the district and its partner organizations.
Parents seeking additional details about the competition are encouraged to reach out to their student's school to learn about registration and school-level contest schedules.