Butte County Resource Conservation District (RCD) is hosting a Speak-Off–Off Contest for High School students on Tuesday, September 19th, 2023,  at 7 PM at the Chico High Library. Created by the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts (CARCD), this contest is open to all Butte County students in the 9th – 12th grade levels.

Each year, a different topic is chosen by CARCD. Past topics include:

• 2023 - "California climate is changing, and groundwater recharge will be important to ensure water for future generations. Are there other natural resource benefits to groundwater recharge projects and how can RCDs help? What local or regional examples can you point to and how have these examples helped your community?"
• "How does the long-term California drought affect your region and what can local Resource Conservation Districts do to help?"
• "Why do we need to act to save the monarch butterfly? What can RCDs do to help?"
• "How can RCDs help landowners reduce the threat of fires?"
• "How can RCDs better involve their communities in conservation?"
• "Based on history, what is your conservation dream and how can Resource Conservation Districts be involved?"

Contestants prepare a 3-5 minute speech on the given topic.

First, a local contest is held at the County-level. The top speaker advances to the Regional-level contest which will take place on November 14th in Yuba City. Then top regional speaker advances to the State-level contest. In addition, each contest has a cash prize for the winners!

Results of the Butte County 2023 High School Speak-Off:

Shrawani Thapa, Senior at Chico High School, 1st place (will represent Butte County at Regional Speak Off)

Emery Pizzuto, Junior at Chico High School, 2nd place

Nico Donati, Senior at Gridley High School, 3rd place

Isabella Bastiani, Sophomore at Gridley High School, 4th place