Redlands, CA – The Inland Empire Resource Conservation District (IERCD) will host their annual Speak-Off speech competition at the East Valley Water District Headquarters in Highland on Thursday, October 12th, 2017 at 6:00pm. The topic for this event is different each year, and the 2017 prompt challenges participants to address “How can Resource Conservation Districts better involve their communities in conservation?”  Students in grades 9-12 on campuses within IERCD service boundaries are eligible to participate through development and presentation of a 3-5 minute speech on the prompt.  Each participant will receive a swag bag with gift cards valued at $20 and dinner will be served for all participants as well as their families! The top three finishers will receive cash prizes of $250, $150, and $100 respectively. The first place winner has the potential to move on to the regional and state competitions to win up to $750. The winner of this competition will have all expenses paid to travel and compete in subsequent regional and statewide competitions; the State Speak-Off will be held in Sacramento this year. Past winners have come from Los Osos High School, Redlands High School, Yucaipa High School, Rancho Cucamonga High School, and Eleanor Roosevelt High School.

The IERCD is a public agency that provides preservation, restoration, education and outreach services to over 25 cities and unincorporated communities in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.  The District operates under the guiding principle that the quality of the environment determines the corresponding quality of life, and works accordingly to improve local habitat sustainability for the benefit of all area dependent species.  The Speak-Off is just one of the many events planned and/or participated in by District board and staff, in an effort to spread the message of the importance of conservation of natural resources.

Additional event details including a map of IERCD boundaries can be found at https://www.iercd.org/speakoff2017. If you would like to sign up for the Speak-Off, please contact IERCD Education Coordinator Jasmine Orozco.