Speech activities are gearing up for the 2020-2021 school year, even as students and teachers navigate a changed learning environment.

In line with the major online component of school this year, the Speech Professional Education Alliance of Kentucky (SPEAK) is offering two virtual events for schools and educators that want to organize or improve speech teams.

The first is NewSPEAK Cloud City, offering interested teachers and coaches of grades 4-12 multiple sessions on setting up speech and debate. It takes place Sept. 19, and participants need to register by Sept. 14 at www.kyspeak.org.

Then on Oct. 3, SPEAK is presenting the SPEAK 8: Cloudspeak conference. It will provide more sessions for established speech programs and will feature a session from speech coaches Joe and Pam Wycoff on “Original Oratory: From One Teacher To Another.”

The registration deadline for SPEAK 8 is Sept. 28, also at www.kyspeak.org.

Participating in the conferences costs $25 each or $40 for both. Each day offers 6 hours of professional development credit.

School, coaches, teachers, parents and students in grades 4-12 can participate in Kentucky speech activities. To get involved and find more information, visit the Kentucky High School Speech League website.