GLENDALE, Ariz. – Four Peoria Unified students emerged as first-place winners in the district’s 39th Annual Patriotic Speech Contest held on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at the District Administration Center in Glendale. These students first competed among their peers at their schools and then advanced to the district competition. Judges included City of Glendale Vice Mayor Ray Malnar, Second Lieutenant Thomas Lampey of Luke Air Force Base, City of Peoria Youth Advisory Board Vice Chair Manya Tewari, military veterans, district leaders and past winners of the Patriotic Speech Contest.
The first-place winners in the 5th and 6th grade division:
Morning Session: Sydney Underwood, a fifth grader from Sunset Heights Elementary School
Afternoon Session: Christabel James, a fifth grader from Desert Valley Elementary School
The first-place winners in the 7th and 8th grade division:
Morning Session: Blakely Sleigher, an eighth grader from Oakwood Elementary School
Afternoon Session: Grace Kary, an eighth grader from Copperwood Elementary School
This annual event serves as a point of pride for Peoria Unified’s Educational Services Department, providing an opportunity for students to explore the meaning of patriotism while fostering skills in writing and public speaking.
“Peoria Unified’s Annual Patriotic Speech Contest is a clear demonstration of our commitment to civic education and elevates the district's approach to enhancing a rigorous curriculum which guides the learning taking place in the classroom,” shared Deputy Superintendent of Educational Services Dr. Teresa Hernandez.
The Peoria Unified School District has 43 neighborhood schools, including one virtual school designed to meet the needs of all preK-12th grade students. For the past 135 years, Peoria Unified has been an Arizona public school district of choice, where students can receive a high-quality education rooted in the values that their families share. Students experience the best in academics, athletics and arts education where education is personalized to meet the needs of each child. Peoria Unified invests in programs which prepare every student for a successful future, including free full-day kindergarten, special education, gifted education and career and technical education. To continue its long history of success, the district maintains its focus on five key components of its strategic framework: Student Success, Learning and Teaching, Safety and Wellness, Stewardship of Resources and Parent and Community Engagement. The Peoria Unified School District continuously pursues its vision of “Every student, every day, prepared to shape tomorrow.”