Eli’s STOA Journey: From Little Boy Speeches to Finals Competitor

Our family has been part of STOA USA since around 2014. His older sisters competed in Team Policy and other speeches, and we loved traveling together as a family to tournaments. When Eli was small, he tagged along and started competing himself at just 5 and 6 years old — often taking 1st or 2nd place in his speeches! Those early years created so many special memories.

As the years passed, his sisters grew up, got married, and moved on. Eli kept going. This will be his 5th year competing as a senior debater. He started in Team Policy like his sisters, but he quickly realized it wasn’t for him. He switched to Lincoln-Douglas debate (his sisters weren’t too pleased at first — lol), and he began to thrive.

This past season, Eli decided to push himself harder than ever. All that extra work paid off when he broke to the finals against one of the top debaters in Texas and the nation — someone he deeply respects. That moment changed everything for him. He realized he truly has what it takes to compete at a high level, which is something he wrestled with for a long time.

Now in his final year of competition, Eli has earned a scholarship to a top-tier debate camp in California. The camp covers all classes, food, and housing — an incredible opportunity to sharpen his skills and make his last season the best it can be.

We’re a homeschool family in Granbury, Texas, and while we’re so proud of this achievement, we still need help covering his round-trip airfare from DFW, daily transportation at camp (about $175), and a few incidentals. Our goal is to raise $600 total so he can fully embrace this experience without added stress.

Any support — big or small — would mean the world to Eli and our family as he finishes strong in his debate career. Thank you for believing in him and helping make this dream a reality!