Instructor
Sammamish · Klahanie
Ilkay is an upcoming sophomore excited to help other students grow their public speaking skills through this program. In his first year in DECA, he earned multiple awards at the state level and qualified for ICDC, DECA’s international business and public speaking competition, and he served as Vice President of ASB during his middle school years. For the 2026–2027 year, he will also serve as an officer within Eastlake DECA. Ilkay specializes in improvisation and on-the-spot speaking, especially within the business area.
Instructor
Sammamish · Sahalee
Eric is an ICDC qualifier. ICDC is DECA’s international business and public speaking competition. Beyond competing, he founded his own nonprofit, where he teaches more than 30 children core middle school subjects. A strong prepared speaker, Eric brings both competition experience and a genuine passion for helping younger students learn.
Instructor
Bellevue · City Hall
An incoming freshman at the Lakeside School in Seattle, Emily is the two-year Vice President of Membership for her Toastmasters Gavel Club, helping foster confidence and communication skills among members. She also works as a teaching assistant at Prime Factor, where she enjoys mentoring students, leading discussions, and creating an engaging learning environment. A two-time area-level public speaking competition winner, Emily is passionate about public speaking, leadership, and helping others grow while having fun and building connections.
Instructor
Bellevue · City Hall
A rising freshman at International School, Lauren has served as student body President for three years. She is a winner of regional Toastmasters public speaking evaluation and speech contests, has been Vice President of Public Relations at her Toastmasters Gavel Club for two years, and has earned speaker awards in both 3-vs-3 and 1-vs-1 debate competitions. For Lauren, holding a room’s attention is a responsibility she has grown to love. Having started out nervous, she now sees public speaking as a way to turn complex ideas into something audiences resonate with, and to spark meaningful change.
