TOP 5 REASONS TO JOIN SPEECH & DEBATE

Reason #1:  Personal Growth and Excellence

Through participation in speech and debate, more than any other class or activity, students will develop faith in their ability to formulate their own opinions and communicate their thoughts in a concise, impactful manner.  This is because the curriculum, classroom environment, and team culture are focused on helping students:

• Gain confidence in their academic abilities by researching and discussing complex topics with other students

• Become more assertive in advocating for topics or causes about which they feel strongly 

• Engage respectfully and constructively with others who share different perspectives or opinions from their own

• Speak confidently and fluently when delivering presentations to peers or adult community members

Legendary NFL coach Vince Lombardi once said, “Leaders are not born, they're made.” Through the lessons learned by participating in speech and debate, even the most introverted, uncertain students become leaders.  The skills valued for success in our society, from thinking critically to speaking in a persuasive, articulate manner are within reach to those students who sign up for Debate I.

Reason #3:  College and Scholarships

Speech and Debate is the #1 extracurricular activity colleges want to see on applications because experience has shown them that students who compete in speech and debate throughout high school have the skills they need to be successful in college.  Numerous studies have shown the impact of the activity on test scores and academic outcomes. When compared to non-speech and debate students, speech and debate students will generally:

• Graduate high school with higher GPAs

• Achieve higher SAT Math and Evidence-based Reading and Writing exam scores 

• Be twice as likely to be admitted to one of the Top 50 Colleges in the U.S. 

• Be more likely to graduate college

Many Hays Speech and Debate students enter college with a full year of college credit because they perform so well on their AP exams.  In addition, the majority are admitted to their first or second-choice college and are awarded multiple scholarships.  

Reason #5:  Improve Academic Performance

• Former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan argued that high school speech and debate were uniquely suited to build skills in critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, and civic engagement. These skills are crucial for colleges and future employers, and countless studies have shown the impact of speech and debate education on high school standardized test scores.  Debate I students at HHS will see a rapid improvement in:

  • • The efficiency and quality of their writing

    • Their ability to identify key portions of complex text

    • Their ease when solving logical problems

    • Their confidence when presenting to large groups 

The AP teachers can always identify who took Debate I by their ability to think critically and write effectively.  Most students who take Debate I as freshmen will graduate in the top ten percent of their class, and pass the majority of their AP tests to earn college credit.