HELENA — Helena High School senior Layla Riggs is one of six finalists for the National Speech and Debate Association’s 2025 National Student of the Year Award.
Riggs was first selected as the Montana West District Student of the Yar before advancing through a national selection process. The national winner will be announced June 20.
“It’s a lot of prepping. It’s a lot of academic work. It’s a lot of things you have to do to actually get good at it,” said Riggs, who has also qualified alongside six teammates for the national NSDA tournament starting June 15. “So, I think hopefully being able to go up on the stage and be able to show that people from Montana can also do this. I hope that I can inspire more people to try it even if it seems a bit difficult or hard.”
But what may be difficult or hard for some, Riggs makes look easy as one of the top six speech and debaters in the country. But Riggs also credits much of her success to the guidance of her head coach, Jen Hermanson.
“Jen has been one of the biggest influences in my life over the past four years,” said Riggs. “I can be very, very, very stubborn, and Jen has always been there to push me a little bit out of my comfort zone just to make me step into something that she knows I’ll do good at.”
Hermanson called Riggs “a talented speaker and a terrific competitor.”
“But what I admire more about her is her willingness to use her voice and her passion and her energy to advocate for a better world,” Hermanson said of Riggs. “And I think this recognition as a national finalist is a testament to the changes and the positive impact she’s had on our communities.”
In a little over a week, Riggs will be competing in the national speech and debate tournament for the final time in her high school career. But the skills she’s developed while competing will stick with her forever.
“I feel like she’s learned the lesson that I hoped every speech and debater would take out of this ... because speech and debate is an activity that you will use your entire life,” said Hermanson. “So, as she’s talking glowingly about what speech and debate has done for her, I think, ‘We’ve done our job.’ Layla got out of speech and debate what she should have. And she’s going to go on and change the world.”
Riggs said she’s unsure if she’ll continue competing in speech and debate in college, but that she’s certainly not done with speech and debate.
“I also want to come back and judge and help coach if I can in the future,” said Riggs. “Because my main goal with my entire speech and debate career has really just been to help and inspire other people and show others what is possible if they put their mind and their heart to it.”
Riggs and her six teammates that have qualified for the national tournament in Des Moines, Iowa beginning June 15 – but are still fundraising for the final $3,500 they need to make the trip happen. Those interested can donate directly online here or by mailing to Helena High School a check payable to Helena Speech and Debate Nationals. Those interested can also purchase a raffle ticket here. Ticket prices start at $5, and a list of prizes can be found here.
