Elk Speech

06/16/2026

And these two keep going—both Natalie and Hannah advance to top 30 in their categories!

Competition continues tomorrow!

Thanks to all the people who helped Elk Speech get to Nationals—today we have two Octafinalists!

Natalie Glew breaks to the top 60 of 282 in Original Oratory!

Hannah Arika breaks to the top 60 of 275 in Informative!

Octafinals are happening this afternoon! These two are off to move their mountains! ⛰️

06/16/2026

Thanks to all the people who helped Elk Speech get to Nationals—today we have two Octafinalists!

Natalie Glew breaks to the top 60 of 282 in Original Oratory!

Hannah Arika breaks to the top 60 of 275 in Informative!

Octafinals are happening this afternoon! These two are off to move their mountains! ⛰️

06/11/2026

Alright everyone, this is our last fundraising push! We are about $650 from our goal right now, and we leave Saturday!

These four kids deserve to share their voices with the world, and that opportunity too often in this activity comes with a price tag that is unattainable. Too often this activity is dominated by those who can have access to expensinve resources (like travel!)

Hotel for Nationals: roughly $4000 for the week
Registration Fees: $581
Judging Fees: $300
Transportation costs: $250

Please consider helping these kids move their mountains one last time!

Donate here! https://gofund.me/e06af380d

06/02/2026

Kira Warnke is heading to Richmond this summer for Nationals! She'll be competing in Storytelling. Kira is absolutely a ray of sunshine on our team--she is dedicated, helpful, and relentlessly positive. She deserve all the support she can get for her first trip to the NSDA National Tournament!

We are in the final push for our fundraising for Nationals! If we could get to $4000, our hotel for the week would be covered for all our students--our biggest expense.

Can you help us get to our goal? Please consider donating and sharing!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-elk-river-students-journey-to-nationals/cl/o?utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&utm_content=amp17_td-amp20_t1&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link&lang=en_US&ts=1780403543

05/11/2026

We asked our Senior, Hannah Arika, why you should support Elk Speech’s road to nationals, and here’s what she said:

“Your support is giving students the opportunity to really find their voice. Speech and debate teaches us to lead, to think boldly, and to inspire change. Your impact goes far beyond talking on stage for ten minutes, it shapes who we become.”

Consider donating to Hannah’s trip to Nationals:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-elk-river-students-journey-to-nationals/cl/o?utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&utm_content=amp17_td-amp20_t1&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link&lang=en_US

05/04/2026

Hey teacher friends—are you interested in supporting a speaker who wants to bring her message of teacher-advocacy all the way to the National Stage? Consider supporting Natalie on her road to Nationals!

Natalie is a junior competing in Original Oratory, and her speech “Vilifying the Village” seeks to remedy the societal scapegoating of teachers, pointing out that undermining teachers also undermines student motivation and achievement. As the daughter of two teachers, she is passionate about her topic—help her share her message!

https://gofund.me/0424746e5

04/27/2026

Can you help Elk Speech Captain Sema Asan get to Nationals? Consider donating to our GoFundMe!

$15 covers his lunch for a day
$25 covers his dinner for a day
$35 covers his category registration fee
$50 covers his judging contribution
$75 covers his transportation fees at the tournament
$119 covers a night in the hotel

Read Sema's story below and consider helping him make his dream of sharing his father's story a reality!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-elk-river-students-journey-to-nationals/cl/o?utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&utm_content=amp17_td-amp20_t1&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link&lang=en_US

04/16/2026

Help Elk Speech get to Nationals!

Sharing your voice shouldn’t be reserved for the people who can afford it. Everyone deserves this opportunity. Please help make this reality for our students this year!

Everything helps! Let’s get these mountains moved! 🏔️💕

Elk River Speech team is headed to Nationals! This year, a group of st… Allison Harmer needs your support for Support Elk River Students' Journey to Nationals

04/12/2026

Elk Speech is sending 8 students to the MSHSL AA State Tournament! Congrats to these mountain movers!

Advancing to State:
Isha Secka—Section Champion—Great Speeches
Favor Ayumba—3rd place—Great Speeches
Hannah Arika—Section Champion—Info
Vivian Hustvedt—2nd place—Info
Natalie Glew—Section Champion—Oratory
Odessa Kruah—2nd place—Oratory
Sema Asan—2nd place—Poetry
Lauren Zacher—3rd place—Prose

Section Finalists:
Genevieve Chur—5th place—Creative
Laikyn Mortenson—6th place—Humor
Janelle Nyakango—4th place—Info
Riley Kerber—5th place—Info
Kylie Fru-Mambo—6th place—Info
Kira Warnke—4th place—Oratory
Sophia Hamilton—5th place—Oratory

03/29/2026

Two Elk River Speakers will be heading to Richmond, Virginia this summer to compete in the National Speech and Debate Association National Tournament!

Senior Hannah Arika placed third in Informative and Junior Natalie Glew placed second in Oratory. Both students will compete in June!