top of page

<< back

Building a Successful Speech Organization and Website

prototype of spartan speech website

Overview:

I founded and led Spartan Speech, a registered organization at Michigan State University (MSU) to host an invitational tournament for high school students involved in the Michigan Interscholastic Forensics Association. Over the years, the tournament grew in size and reputation, becoming the largest competitive public speaking competition in the state of Michigan. As part of this project, I also designed a first-of-its-kind speech tournament website that provided valuable information for competitors visiting MSU's campus. In this portfolio piece, I showcase my work in building and leading Spartan Speech, organizing the annual "Spartanvitational" tournament, and designing the accompanying website, highlighting the tools used, problem solved, and the benefits and impact of this project. As of 2023, Spartan Speech has continued on and still remains the largest speech tournament in the state.

​

Click here to visit the website >>

Tools Used: 
My Role: 

  • Founder, President, Tournament Director, Web Developer, Social Media Manager

Overview:

  • Founded and led Spartan Speech, a registered organization at Michigan State University (MSU) to host an invitational tournament for high school students involved in the Michigan Interscholastic Forensics Association.

  • Hosted successful tournaments in 2018, 2019, and 2020, with increasing participation from over 20 schools to over 35 schools, making Spartan Speech the largest competitive public speaking competition in Michigan.

  • Secured a grant from the University that covered all the costs of the tournament, including renting a large building, purchasing awards, and providing lunch for participants.

  • Designed a first-of-its-kind speech tournament website to provide valuable information for competitors visiting MSU's campus, including maps, scheduling information, club information, and recognition for tournament winners.

  • Served as the team's founder and president, organizing weekly meetings, leading planning efforts, and directing the event.

Methodology:

  • Identified the need for a speech tournament for high school students in Michigan and leveraged existing resources at MSU to create Spartan Speech.

  • Coordinated with MSU officials to secure a large performance space and 50 classrooms for the tournament.

  • Utilized grant funding to cover costs and reimbursed personal expenses as needed.

  • Designed and developed a user-friendly website to provide valuable information and enhance the experience for competitors visiting MSU's campus.

Benefits and Impact:

Club Members
Splash Page
Trophies
Winners Page
Promotional Material
Hannah Stoloff Award
Maps
About Page

  • Successfully hosted and expanded the "Spartanvitational" tournament, making it the largest competitive public speaking competition in Michigan.

  • Received support from the University and recognition from the student government for the achievements of Spartan Speech.

  • Created a valuable resource in the form of a tournament website that improved navigation and information for participants, and set a new standard for speech tournaments in Michigan.

  • Ran a large independent online national-level "Quarantournament" during the pandemic for seniors who lost the latter half of their final competitive public speaking season.

  • Led a team of 50+ Spartans, organizing meetings and planning efforts to increase engagement and improve the overall experience for students.

bottom of page