Eastern Missouri NSDA Student of the Year
The Student of the Year award recognizes one amazing graduating senior who exemplifies and embodies the NSDA Code of Honor through their activities in both Speech & Debate as well as in their local communities. This is the highest honor that the Eastern Missouri district can bestow on a student. The recipient of the District Student of the Year will automatically be nominated for the NSDA National Student of the Year recognition.
2021 Student of the Year - Mya Harris, Pattonville HS
An active member on the Pattonville Speech & Debate Team, Mya Harris has spent her high school career advocating for racial equity and Black excellence. She competes rigorously and ethically in debate, and uses Informative Speaking as a way to educate and awaken the community. Mya isn't afraid to use her voice, even if her beliefs risk making others uncomfortable. As a sophomore, she was worried that her informative speech on Pruitt-Igoe might offend some judges who were put off by her discussion of systemic racism. Her grandmother had lived in the housing complex, and the topic was close to her heart. She talked through her concerns, ultimately deciding that telling her grandmother's story and speaking out about housing discrimination in St. Louis was more important than winning. The next year, she tackled the thoughtless comments some judges had made about her natural hair by creating an Info about the genetics of Black hair and the discrimination that Black women experience because of their hairstyles. Her talent, hard work, and perseverance have earned her a reputation as a respected competitor for her success and her willingness to help others, whether she's lending her easel to a competitor or mentoring novices.
Her exceptional talent even turned into an incredible job opportunity for her last summer. A volunteer judge at a tournament was so taken by her Info that he offered her a summer internship with his law firm. She completed the internship successfully, impressed all of the partners at the firm, and received an offer to return.
As the Director of Education of the Pattonville speech & debate team the past two years, Mya has focused on equity and diversity on the team. She also spearheaded the fundraising effort at the Randy Pierce Winter Classic to pay for a professional mental health seminar for free to all students in EastMO, focused particularly on the needs of BIPOC teens.
She also uses her voice in the larger community as an officer and community service coordinator for the African American Achievers Society and as a Teen Representative to the National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse. She is a state champion and national qualifier in HOSA's researched persuasive writing and speaking event. She seeks out roles ad opportunities that allow her to educate and to be over service to the community.
Eastern Missouri is extremely proud and honored to name Mya Harris as our 2021 District Student of the Year!
Her exceptional talent even turned into an incredible job opportunity for her last summer. A volunteer judge at a tournament was so taken by her Info that he offered her a summer internship with his law firm. She completed the internship successfully, impressed all of the partners at the firm, and received an offer to return.
As the Director of Education of the Pattonville speech & debate team the past two years, Mya has focused on equity and diversity on the team. She also spearheaded the fundraising effort at the Randy Pierce Winter Classic to pay for a professional mental health seminar for free to all students in EastMO, focused particularly on the needs of BIPOC teens.
She also uses her voice in the larger community as an officer and community service coordinator for the African American Achievers Society and as a Teen Representative to the National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse. She is a state champion and national qualifier in HOSA's researched persuasive writing and speaking event. She seeks out roles ad opportunities that allow her to educate and to be over service to the community.
Eastern Missouri is extremely proud and honored to name Mya Harris as our 2021 District Student of the Year!