Speech and Debate is a fantastic way to meet new people and work on skills that will benefit you as you prepare for life outside of high school.

 

Participants in speech and debate are “uniquely suited” for building the Four C’s of 21st century skills—critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity. He goes on to add a fifth “C” that debate promotes—civic awareness and engagement.

Speech and debate provides students an opportunity to develop skills in research, critical thinking, organization, persuasion and communication. Students must set aside personal bias and previous knowledge to objectively debate both sides of an issue. Students must understand the complexities of the world in order to develop solutions that are workable and solve the inherent problems. Students learn to accept constructive criticism from judges in each round and use it to improve their future performance.

Speech and debate students see tangible benefits from participation while in school – confidence in speaking situations, spontaneity in interviews, improved writing and diverse perspectives. The ability to accept criticism and adapt helps students to accept failure and mistakes in other courses and make needed adjustments.