WHY SPEECH AND DEBATE?
Speech and Debate aren't restricted to students who aspire to be politicians or lawyers. Many of our members aspire to work in STEM, business, and the arts -- yet, we value Speech and Debate for developing our lifelong skills in critical thinking, teamwork, writing, and communication. Here, we set aside our personal bias and previous knowledge to objectively debate both sides of an issue, a skill that will inevitably prove useful in our futures. Competing in Speech and Debate is a challenge anyone can embrace!
SPEECH
Speech involves a presentation by one, two, or sometimes a group of students that is judged against a similar type of presentation in a round of competition. Speech events can involve extensive preparation, or next to none at all. There are more serious events that require speakers to be aware of current events and more interpretive events that allow speakers to recreate powerful moments in history and literature with a personalized touch.
DEBATE
Debate involves an individual or a team of debaters working to convince an unbiased judge of his or her side. Students participating in debate generally have to understand and prepare for both sides of a topic, and eventually have to argue both as well, developing unparalleled persuasion skills that this activity helps hone and refine for later on in life.