Among the various extracurricular activities that encircle the school campus, Speech and Debate has proven itself to be one that is worthy of being appreciated. Led by Ms. King, the members work to improve their public speaking abilities and to also challenge their way of thinking.
In contrast to other clubs, Speech and Debate holds an actual class and works as a team. Members must be willing to devote their time doing research and preparing their cases. Hard work is essential because debaters have to be able to argue on either sides of the issue.
“Just like a team, we have a coach and we have team captains instead of club presidents,” Captain Genesis Anguiano said. “We also practice as a team, and we go to competitions,”
Many of the club members have placed in the tournaments. Captain Genesis Anguino was sixth in the National Qualifiers giving her a chance to go to state and represent the school in the Lincoln Douglas debate this coming April. She was also second along with partner Robert Guerrero in the Improvisational Duo debate. Co-Captain Kristina Rocha was fifth in the Fall Debate, and junior Jan Bautista left undefeated in the Novice Lincoln Douglas Tournaments. Belen Silva, Cynthia Moreno, and Laura Paniagua, are also among the many who have placed in the competitions.
“I was placed in the Improvisational Duo with Genesis at the very last second,” Guerrero said. “It was a fun experience, and the fact that we placed second only made it sweeter.” “Speech and Debate has given me the skills to become a leader and has taken away my fear of public speaking.”
They attended speech events in which they are evaluated by judges and debate tournaments where they compete against each other. Different colleges including UC Berkeley, UCLA, USC, and Cal State Long Beach usually host the contests. High School students from all over the nation travel to these schools to take part in competitions for a chance to win a scholarship.
“The chance at being awarded scholarships is just the icing on the cake,” Co-Captain Kristina Rocha said.
Despite the amount of time put into this club, it is also beneficial in regards to other classes, especially English and history. In preparing for a debate or a speech, the members must organize their cases in an essay form. Some of the topics they have debated are about immunizations, political lobbying, and private military firms. While they research about their issues, Co-Captain Rocha uses this opportunity to obtain more knowledge about the events occurring all over the country.
“The consistently changing topics we debate regarding various social and political issues help me in history,” Co-Captain Rocha said.
The students have done so many things since the school year started, and they continue to get more kids to join and participate. With all their hard work, they definitely deserve to be recognized and applauded for their continuous dedication to Speech and Debate.
