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SpeechMazePowered by TalkMaze
2027 waitlist

Volunteer as a judge

Three judges score every Round 1 speech and write what the speaker did well and what to work on next. Our judges are coaches, teachers, and speech and debate alumni.

Volunteer as a judge

Our judges are coaches, teachers, and speech and debate alumni. Leave your details and we will email you when judge sign-ups for SpeechMaze 2027 open.

What judging involves

Scoring at home
You watch recorded Round 1 speeches online and score each one on the ten-criterion rubric, from 1 to 10 per criterion.
Written feedback
For every speech, you write what the speaker did well and one thing to work on next. Families receive it in their judges’ report.
Fair by design
Judges are assigned automatically and score on their own, without seeing other judges’ scores.
Who can judge
Coaches, teachers, and speech and debate alumni, from any country.

From the 2026 judges

Never be afraid to voice your opinion—your voice matters, so have the courage to use it.
Michele L.TalkMaze coach
Practice is key, there is no way around it. You can't be a great speaker by watching YouTube videos or reading books alone.
Clint B.TalkMaze coach
Having confidence comes from knowing your message, so speak about what matters to you.
Viktoria O.High school student and TalkMaze alumna
A great speech tells a great story!
Michael S.Master of Architecture student, University of Waterloo
Practice, practice, practice until what you want to communicate flows naturally.
Rucha A.Tech product manager, Toronto
BE YOU! Let your personality shine through.
Deem A.TalkMaze coach
Clarity and simple truths will always outweigh complex jargon.
Mihnea I.TalkMaze volunteer
Focus on sharing your ideas clearly and authentically rather than trying to be perfect.
Maham A.University of Calgary student
A real public speaker is one who can come back from a mistake.
AAlexander H.TalkMaze alum
Understand your topic well, the words will follow.
Rameel R.University mentor
Be confident and maintain eye contact with your audience.
Ritaj A.TalkMaze alumna
Don't stress it, because it's not the end of the world.
Agastya H.High school student
Don't overthink it.
Farhan R.Medical student, University of Calgary