Ms. Anker Receives Speech Award

This year, Ms. Anker received the 2018 high school coach of the year award for leadership and commitment presented by the national speech and debate association. Awards are given based on a nomination process and teachers are nominated from all 50 states every year. A selection committee reviews all the nominations and honors the one they think is most deserving of that year.

Ms. Anker has been coaching speech for 41 years and has had many accomplishments leading up to her receiving this award. “Winning state was really exciting and having a team that’s won a school sweepstakes trophy pretty much every year at nationals, which is based on how the whole team does is very exciting,” she recalls. “As a team, we have been in the top ten of the nations for several consecutive years, Not only is our success reflected in the trophies, outsiders can also see it in the sense of community we have fostered together,” explains speech member Tram Nguyen.

Ms. Anker is a great role model to the speech team and works extremely hard to help the team achieve excellence. She describes her favorite part of coaching as “watching kids grow, because public speaking is so scary and so watching kids develop confidence, especially if I see them over a few years is really great.”
“She has encouraged me to challenge myself and others’ beliefs in touching and meaningful ways. If it weren’t for Ms.Anker, I wouldn’t have a speech career,” admits Nguyen. “Not only is Ms. Anker a phenomenal speech coach, but also a phenomenal friend. Through her teachings, coaching, and leadership, I have learned valuable lessons to carry on with me throughout the rest of my life, I am humbled to have met such a wonderful human being,” member of the speech team Trinh Nguyen declares.