As Powell Middle School leaders look to encourage more students to take part in extracurricular activities, a speech club is a new option for sixth- through eighth-graders.

In conjunction with the Powell High School team, the middle school’s new club allows students to learn the ropes of speech while working with PHS coaches and students.

“We worked really hard on just getting some kids exposed to it and having speech be one of our clubs [at the middle school],” said Nicole Maier Reitz, head coach of the PHS speech and debate team. The middle school club has drawn 13 students in its premiere year, and each has worked with a PHS mentor to select a piece, practice and perform.

“We are very privileged to have the support of our high school program in order to get kids involved with a very unique interest and life-long skill,” said Chanler Buck, activities director at Powell Middle School.

Since few middle schools in Wyoming offer speech, the Powell students can’t compete against other clubs. However, they have performed their pieces, including taking the stage in Cody last month.

The Powell students’ next performance comes at 4 p.m. Friday at the district’s Support Services Building, held in conjunction with the PHS-hosted speech tournament happening this weekend.

Middle school students selected duo, drama, humor and informative pieces to perform, and started practicing in November. Every Monday, middle schoolers practice with their PHS mentors.

“It’s been a really great relationship for them,” Maier Reitz said.

For PHS team members, it’s been a commitment, since they’ve had to give up a night of practice every week during their season.

“We’re in serious competition, and they were willing to do that, because they wanted to work with them,” Maier Reitz said.

PHS junior and team co-captain Anna Atkinson said it’s been cool to see the middle schoolers progress from being “so afraid walking in here and then performing so well.”

“Speech and debate really does build a lot of confidence,” said Atkinson.

Assistant coach Lenita Moore said the hope is for participation to increase at both the middle school and high school levels.

“Some of them are kind of intimidated by speech and debate,” Moore said. “If we could start them off at the middle school, they’ll be more likely to do it in high school.”

Next year’s incoming freshmen will already have connections and relationships, Atkinson added.

For Moore, it’s been impressive to see how the teens have stepped up to help others — not only middle schoolers just starting out, but also their fellow PHS teammates.

“That’s a true team — they really try to give each other feedback and help their competitors as much as themselves,” Moore said. “I was really impressed with that.”

With the success of this season, the PHS speech and debate team plans to work with middle schoolers again next year, Maier Reitz said.

“The first year is always so hard to get set up, but once you set it up, it’s much easier to do,” she said. “The high school kids really enjoy it.”