April 2026
Read the newsletter in it’s original format here: https://mailchi.mp/98318db8d504/coachs-april-newsletter
Hello and Happy April!
We're getting so close to the end of the semester, which means we're getting close to some of my favorite events of the school year: showcase and banquet!
Coach Announcement
I wanted to start by sharing a serious announcement. I promise this is not an April Fool's joke.
I shared this with the boosters earlier this month, and all of our students last week, but I wanted to share with all of you that I will not be returning to Anderson next year.
I am resigning after NSDA Nationals. I have already discussed this with our administration and they are in the process of hiring my pick for the debate coach next year. I can't share the person's name yet but hopefully, students will be able to meet them before the semester ends. They are a close friend of mine, previously worked at a similarly-sized Austin High School, have not taught for a few years, and are eager to return to a school! I think that they will be an amazing fit here and I hope that y'all will love them!
I wanted to say a huge thank you to all of you. I could not have made it this long without such an amazing student and family community, strong booster club, and amazing school and administration. Thank you to everyone who volunteered, sent Amazon wishlist donations, fundraised, judged, drove carpool, and sent kind and supportive words of encouragement and gratitude. This job is difficult and time-consuming, and the kindness I've experienced from you and our students has made it so worth it. I am grateful for all of the love.
March Student Spotlights!
TFA State
We took 13 students to Prosper, TX, for the TFA State Tournament!
Thank you to Teri Taylor for chaperoning and judging!!
HUGE congratulations to Zoe Taylor for advancing to the semifinals of United States Extemp!! She was ranked in the top 12 extempers in the state!!
UIL District
Congratulations to these students for qualifying to UIL Regionals at A&M Consolidated High School in College Station on Saturday, April 25th!
Em Speiser, 2nd place Current Events
Hunter Imhof, 3rd place Current Events
Maddie Dy, 2nd place Ready Writing
Jazaa Kazi, 2nd place Spelling
Our Spelling team did so well that they all advance to Regionals:
Lael Johnson, Maddie Dy, Jazaa Kazi, and Jack Langston
Summer Speech and Debate Camp Scholarship Winners!
I am so excited to announce the winners of our first-ever Speech and Debate Summer Camp scholarships! We had some excellent applications and I enjoyed reading them! Huge thank you to our senior parents Mina Kumar, Betsy Johnson, and Jerri Imhof for reading and scoring these applications!
Congratulations to our winners!!
Katherine Shaw
Maddie Dy
Tessa Frackowiak
April News!
This month, we have a few events and both mandatory and optional after-school activities!
After School Workshops and Practices
As a reminder, students who have not completed their tournament requirement can do so by attending after school workshops! 3 workshops = 1 tournament for novices, 2 workshops = 1 tournament for varsity members.
After School Workshop Schedule here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rkzGn4QEt2-ga6uYESJCavC8FMcNKmV7RY7YEXtQkVg/edit?usp=sharing
We are also in the midst of our officer process. After school officer interviews will take place from Monday, April 13th, to Friday, April 17th.
Mandatory Showcase Rehearsals - after school until 6pm
Tuesday, April 28th
Wednesday, April 29th
Friday, May 1st
Senior to-dos!
Seniors were sent a google form earlier this week asking for:
Baby photo (1-3, from any age under 10)
Senior photo (1-2, from either formal senior photos or casual ones)
A short bio
Their chosen college and area of study
Please encourage your senior to complete this! If you have photos, feel free to email them. Students can email or Slack their photos.
Photos and bios will be due very soon - strict deadline to come, please make sure your student submits these ASAP!
Showcase 2026!
If you're new to the Anderson Speech and Debate community, Showcase is our annual community, fundraising, and recruitment event where students put on performances and skits to teach the community about speech and debate!
This event is mandatory for students. If students have serious conflicts, those need to be communicated to me ASAP. This is my last showcase and it is really important to me that it is done well and everyone takes pride in it.
Students who did not help at the Trojan Classic in the fall and don't help with Showcase in the spring will not be allowed to attend the debate team banquet.
Details!
Showcase: Saturday, May 2nd from 5-7pm
Showcase Rehearsals (mandatory!)
Tuesday, April 28th until 6pm
Wednesday, April 29th until 6pm
Friday, May 1st until 6pm [in theater]
Saturday, May 2nd, 12pm - 3pm [in theater]
More information will be sent out closer to these dates. You shoud know that students will be expected to wear formal, debate attire for this performance. If they have not competed this year and need some guidance on that, please reach out or have them reach out to me!
Get Involved!
One other thing to know - we make a beautiful booklet every year that is passed out at showcase and full of photos and highlights from the year! Showcase is a fundraiser and a fundraising method we rely on is selling ads in the booklet.
Purchase a Showcase Ad here:
Pay here for your Showcase ad or Showcase tickets! - https://givebutter.com/2026-ahs-speech-debate-showcase-rzcgqv
Questions about Showcase Ads can be directed to me or Danor Padden! Thank you to Danor for volunteering to take on the Showcase book creation! Reach out with questions and I'll connect you with Danor.
A Sign-Up Genius will be sent out soon that has opportunities to volunteer for Showcase, including making/donating/selling concessions, taking tickets, helping set-up, and helping take down. Please reach out if you want to learn more about volunteering at Showcase!
Speech and Debate Banquet 2026!
We're still working on a location (thank you to the boosters!) for our 4th annual Speech and Debate Team Banquet - or, the Debanquet, as I like to call it.
Every student who volunteered at the Trojan Classic and participated in Showcase is welcome to attend! This is not a family event and is only for current members of the Speech and Debate team. Debanquet is free to students!
The boosters provide catering for one last team dinner. Superlatives are given out to every member of the team, seniors give speeches, and we take tons of pictures!
Parents, if you're interested in volunteering to help decorate, pick up catering, print superlative certificates, or get involved in planning, please let me know!
Fundraising Updates!
Thanks to the hard work of our students, our GiveButter has raised a little over $8,000! It would be really helpful for a strong start to the fall if we could get this amount to $10,000!
Please continue sharing this GiveButter link! If your student has not had any success with GiveButter or selected Sponsorship or Donation asks as their fundraising method, please remind them to attend after-school practices on any Tuesday/Wednesday to send emails or visit businesses to ask for donations. Every student's goal for fundraising is $300!
Team GiveButter Link: https://givebutter.com/andersondebate2026
If you know a business that could donate money or items to be raffled off at Showcase, please pass along their contact information!
Please let me know if you have any quetsions, want to get involved in decorating, planning, or facilitating Showcase or Debanquet, or have any ideas for fundraising!
It has been such an honor to serve as the debate coach for these four years. I could write (and talk!) for a long time about how much this team and community means to me. There will be a sappy speech from Coach Contreras at Showcase, for sure!
Thank you so much for all of your support throughout the years. I will send one final newsletter in May with details about Debanquet and Showcase reminders.
Coach El
el.contreras@austinisd.org