Speaking Like a Super-Star Saber: Why YOU Should Join Speech & Debate!
By: Sophia Ortiz - May 7, 2026
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Caption: This is a group picture of both speech & debate students competing at the Nevada State Championship at Desert Oasis High School. (Credit: South CTA Speech & Debate Instagram)
“Time is fleeting, it's running out…” Those are lyrics from the song The Challenge in Epic: The Musical. As college applications tick closer, many students scramble for activities to build their “resume” or shape their “narrative.” Here’s a solution: join speech & debate. It’s something that helps you grow into “that person” and move from Point A to Point B. As next year’s speech vice president, one of my ultimate goals is to recruit more people to join the speech and debate team and help people overcome their fear of public speaking, so here are my reasons on why this would be a decision without regret!
First, speech and debate offers the rare opportunity to develop public speaking skills. Alaina Gregorio, a freshman speech president who competes in Original Oratory, shared, “I used to be mistaken for being mute in middle school. So now, having speech and debate has helped break me out of that shell. It has…really helped me talk to other people and just put myself out there.” She explained that being constantly evaluated on both content and delivery pushed her to improve. Many people can write well, but if they can’t communicate effectively, those words lose impact (unless you’re Alexander Hamilton).
This growth isn’t just limited to an individual. Victoria Mundweil, a freshman who did Original Oratory, shared that after one tournament, “Presenting in front of people in multiple classes wasn’t as scary and easier to do.” Similarly, Sofia Czuba, a freshman who competes in Public Forum and Lincoln-Douglas, explained that she was “once a very shy and quiet person,” but debate helped her “find [her] own voice and empower [her] own words.” Even Colin Suciu, a freshman who competes in Congress, said that after competing, he felt like he could “talk to people about any subject.” The shift from fear to confidence extends beyond competitions into everyday life, from class presentations to conversations.
In addition to speaking, speech and debate strengthens writing in ways that typical English assignments don’t. Instead of writing like you’re running out of time, students write to persuade, inform, and perform. Suciu admitted his writing “was not the most steady” before joining, but speech and debate helped him “view writing in a different way.” Gregorio added that it forces one to “branch out into every topic possible” and build stronger arguments. Czuba also noted that writing debate cases helped her include “more intricate and niche details” in her essays. From crafting hooks to structuring arguments, the writing becomes more intentional and more powerful.
Credit: Sophia Ortiz
Finally, the impact of speech and debate extends far beyond high school. The skills you gain, like communication, critical thinking, and confidence, are valuable for both college and every career you imagine. Suciu joined intending to become a lawyer later on, describing it as “the perfect entrance into the world of law.” Others, like Czuba, note persistence; even without placing, being close to winning pushed her to keep improving. As someone who is naturally shy myself, I’ve experienced similar growth; I’ve learned to speak more clearly and confidently. Ultimately, it’s not just about building a resume, but building yourself because confidence is key!
As time continues to pass, just like how Penelope waited 20 years for Odysseus to come back to Ithaca before the suitors initiated their plan in The Odyssey, students are faced with decisions on how they want to spend high school. Speech and debate may seem intimidating at first, but the experiences, skills, and benefits it offers make them worthwhile. So, don't throw away your shot because it’s an opportunity that shouldn’t be ignored. Joining speech and debate might just be the step that takes you from Point A to B, and into a version of yourself you’d never expect.
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