Top 5 Reasons To Join The Debate Team

Considering joining the debate team? There are many benefits of debate, but we think these are the highlights. You should join the debate team in order to...

1. Have A Fun And Rewarding Experience

More than anything else, the debate team at Woodward Academy offers students an enjoyable and rewarding experience that will stick with them for the rest of their lives. When reminiscing about their time at Woodward, our alums speak glowingly about debate as one of the highlights of their high school careers.

2. Bolster Your College Applications

Competitive debate is one of the most attractive co-curricular activities for college admissions officers: they know that students who participate in debate are better prepared than their peers for the demands of college academics. If your goal is to attend a top-tier university, there is literally no better activity at Woodward Academy than Debate. Take a look at the list of colleges and universities attended by our alums — it speaks for itself.

3. Gain Valuable Skills For Your Career

Regardless of your post-high school plans, the ability to communicate effectively, research rigorously, and think critically will be instrumental to your success in life. No other activity at Woodward Academy better prepares students to effectively communicate with a variety of audiences than the debate team. Don't believe us? Check out a few of our alumni profiles to see proof: Woodward Academy debaters go on to enormously successful careers in a variety of fields.

4. Learn To Be An Engaged Citizen

Participating in debate gives students an improved perspective on the world around them — you'll learn about important issues in politics, public policy, and philosophy and gain a better appreciation for the diverse perspectives that make up the public sphere. Everyone has opinions. Participation in competitive debate requires students to interrogate their assumptions, test their ideas, and present them for public scrutiny. This process of idea formation and revision teaches students to think rigorously, analyze issues effectively, and better communicate their ideas to their audiences. As President Kennedy recognized, debate is truly the bedrock of democracy.

5. Make Friends and Become Part of a Supportive Student Community

Transitioning to the Upper School at Woodward Academy is difficult. The debate team helps make that transition easier by providing freshmen with a support structure of older students who will quickly become friends and mentors. Woodward Academy debaters support one another both inside and outside the classroom.