Timber Koopman, a junior at Etna High School, has advanced to the district (state) level of the Lions Club International Student Speaker Contest after winning the Regional competition held Sunday in Yreka.
Koopman defeated Robby Madden, a sophomore at Burney High School, to claim the regional title and a $250 cash prize. She will now compete in Yuba City, where the top prize is a $4,500 scholarship.
The 89th annual contest selects a new topic each year. Students in grades 9–12 were challenged to deliver original speeches on “Youth Mental Health: Overcoming Barriers to Well-Being.” Speeches must run between five and ten minutes and address mental health challenges facing young people, barriers to accessing support, resilience strategies, and pathways to well-being.
Koopman’s road to the regional title began at the Etna Club Level, where she competed against Finn Hilton, Carter Isbell, and Connor Steckmyer. Her first-place finish there earned her a $75 cash prize and a spot in the Zone Level competition, held March 2 in Yreka. Advancing from that contest, she faced Macey McNames of Fort Jones—herself a club-level winner—in the zone round.
McNames had won the Fort Jones Club Level contest, where she competed against Wyatt Franklin, Wyatt Hilton, Brody Piersall, and Gus Hahn.
When asked for the one key takeaway from her speech that she wants other students to remember, Timber said: “Do not be afraid to ask for help!”
Congratulations to Timber Koopman and all the students who participated in this year’s contest for their poise and eloquence on a challenging and timely topic.
