People have a natural tendency to share their opinions when it’s something they care greatly about, but it is a great life skill to voluntarily choose to discuss risky topics just to build up your communication skills. Although this maybe a challenge for some people, there is a club that can help students become better at talking to other people — the Speech and Debate club.
From an outside perspective, Speech and Debate seems like a club where all people do is make speeches, and debate with people on different subjects, but there is actually a lot more to it. Rob Malique, senior, is a member of the Speech and Debate club and is now in his fourth year.
“The main goal or idea is to improve your voice, uplift your argument, still getting better to argue while having a good time and just using evidence and understanding why you do it,” Malique said.
This club can easily benefit students’ current communication skills, which will help students in the future.
“It’s made me a lot better at speaking and having conversations with people,” Evelyn Cramer, sophomore, said. “I might try and do it in college, I’m not sure, but I definitely think it’s changed how I talk to people and discussing heavier topics.”
There is a common comparison to a popular Language Arts class that may persuade some students to join.
“If you are in [Advanced Language Arts Research Presentation], that’s what speech and debate pretty much is,
” Malique said. “Prep time, focus on what you’re doing, and even if you don’t want to partake in speaking, you can still do other little things in Speech and Debate.”
It can be intimidating for students to talk to new people, but each person in this group knows that anyone can get better at it with the right kind of determination.
“We are extremely welcoming to new members, and you can start at any point in the year.” Emmett Beeson, senior, said. “The skills we teach help individuals to become more successful in life. Communication is a very important skill, and it doesn’t matter how qualified you are for a job if you can’t effectively advocate for yourself. Strong communication skills allow you to build relationships and connections, which is vital to success.”
There are several different aspects of Speech and Debate that students can choose to focus on, giving them a broader selection of topics to cover. However, some take more time than others.
“Radio speaking and informational don’t take up much time, but I swear public forum consumes half of my life,” Cramer said. “You have to write a lot to get your case, research a lot, but it’s worth it.”
For many students inside and outside of clubs, a lack of wins can make it difficult to maintain confidence.
“The most challenging part of Speech and Debate is similar to most clubs and hobbies, which I would say is the ability to accept defeat without letting it define you,” Beeson said. “The first thing we tell new members is to expect to lose their first few rounds, this is completely normal and part of the learning process. I think that by setting realistic expectations and helping each other through defeat, we as a team benefit and become more well rounded individuals.”
One of the Speech and Debate coaches, social studies teacher, Lauren Schoellhorn, is very determined to help students realize their potential, even outside of the clubs meetings and tournaments.
“My biggest role is to find the event that speaks to them and where they can shine the most,” Schoellhorn said. “Kids need that opportunity, because in this digital world we live in, so much is done through a screen. This is learning to speak in front of people, you’re learning to improvise, you’re learning to carry yourself in a certain way. I feel like this is a transferable skill far beyond high school.”
It goes without saying that this club is doing great things for the future of EHS students.
“Aside from the growth you experience and obviously the transferable skills, it’s a family,” Schoellhorn said. “We’ve got debate kids, we’ve got speech kids, we’ve got theater kids, we’ve got athletes, all together in this really uplifting, supportive space. You may not know where you fit, you can fit here. We can find you a place where you fit. The friendships that I’ve seen them develop and the community it develops is definitely one of the best things. If you’re looking for a place where you can grow, feel welcome and take risks in a safe way, this is the place.”
