Riggins Awarded Prestigious NFHS Citation
By Jamie Oberg, UIL Intern | Friday, March 01, 2013 10:55 AM
Jana Riggins has been the UIL Speech and Debate Director for the past 16 years.
Photo by Jeanne Acton
Jana Riggins, Assistant Academic director at UIL, will receive the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) prestigious Citation Award this summer in Denver, Colorado.
Designed to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to high school sports and performing arts, the NFHS Citation is one of the most highly regarded achievements in high school activities. Citation Awards are issued in six categories, including Speech and Debate, where it is the highest honor possible.
When first notified of her recognition, Riggins said she felt “very humbled.”
Riggins began her involvement in Speech in the second grade in a UIL event called Declamation.
“I still remember the thrill and fright of stepping out on the stage to recite,” she said.
From that moment she was hooked. Riggins has dedicated her livelihood to teaching and improving communication education both in Texas and nationally. Riggins, who has been UIL Speech and Debate Director for the past 16 years also has served on the NFHS National Speech Advisory Board, Editorial Review Board and Topic Selection Wording Committee.
The Citation Award for speech and debate was first given out by the NFHS in 1988. When reviewing the nominations from the 50 state contacts, the NFHS Speech Committee looks at a number of criteria including overall contributions, years of service and impact beyond the state level.
UIL Executive Director Dr. Charles Breithaupt who nominated Riggins for the award said she definitely fits that bill.
“We nominated her for this award because we believe that her dedication to the speech and debate community resonates nationally and well as in our great state,” Dr. Breithaupt said. “She is well known and respected in her field and has been an outstanding advocate for educational competition throughout her career.”
Since beginning in her field, Riggins has led the fight for speech communication to be sustained as a graduation requirement for all Texas high school students. Additionally, she is one of only 42 teachers in the state to earn the distinction of Master Teacher.
“I was excited to hear of her selection because I knew that she would never seek this type of honor and would not believe that she was deserving,” Dr. Breithaupt said. “However, the speech world knows that this is an award that has been long overdue.”
Even as her list of recognitions lengthens, Riggins said she is most proud of her work with students.
“I am definitely most proud of the talented and successful students that I have had the privilege to teach and to coach and those I have been able to witness at the UIL State Meet,” she said. “Seeing the amazing things they have gone on to accomplish in their lives by building off of the foundation of communication and leadership skills they developed through competitive speaking is extremely rewarding and makes the investment I have made personally worthwhile”
While Riggins’ resume may be packed with years of experience and honors, she said she doesn’t think they were the main contributors in her victory.
“I've had lots of experiences along this journey, but I think the most significant impact has been the passion I have for what I do and the passion I have for changing lives,” she said. “I value integrity, and for me, integrity means not taking for my own gain, but for giving to others. It is a joy to give back to that community every day in the work that I do at UIL and the opportunities I've been given nationally through the Federation.”
Although the Citation award is the pinnacle of Speech recognition, Riggins also said she doesn’t plan to slow down soon.
“I innately strive to do things better the next time around,” she said. “I guess that comes from the relentless pursuit toward excellence that is unquenchable. Reaching the stars is a never-ending challenge, especially for someone as vertically-challenged as me!”
The award ceremony will take place June 25 in Denver.