Are you interested in debating or would you like to learn more about this club? Join the Speech and Debate club.
At South High, the Speech and Debate Club provides students with the opportunity to develop essential life skills like public speaking, research, critical thinking, and confidence. Whether preparing for tournaments or engaging in practice debates, students learn how to express their ideas clearly, analyze complex topics, and advocate for themselves. The club is sponsored by Mike Hachmeister, and students take a role in their preparation for competitions.
Sophomore Stephanie Bay is a member of the Speech and Debate Club and stated why she joined this club.
“I want to be a lawyer and I thought debate and speech would help me to improve in speaking and arguing,” she said.
Freshman William Garland is also a member of the Speech and Debate club and he also stated why he joined this club.
“I like to debate with people and so I can improve my public speaking abilities and gain some confidence,” he said.
Freshman Madison Elliff is also a member of this club and she also stated why she joined this club.
“I signed up for the class not knowing much about debate but they started with a public forum which I really liked and my good friend Claire said she was interested in the club,” she said.
She also said it’s a good club to join to help with many life skills, but it is definitely some work to get to know your topic and write your case. But if people are interested and don’t know anything about debate don’t be afraid to just come to a meeting and see what it’s about!
Hachmeister stated why it is important for students to join this club.
“It gives them the ability to express themselves and I think it can increase their confidence,” he said.
Bay also talks about why it is important for students to join Speech and Debate Club.
“It’s important because it improves student’s speaking skills and develops a sense of literacy,” she said.
Garland talks about how Speech and Debate Club members prepare for competitions.
“We have many work sessions and research sessions as well as running full cases,” he said.
Elliff stated why she chose this particular club over other extracurricular activities.
“It’s important because it can help me build important skills such as speaking and getting to point across in an ‘argument.’ It can also help me in writing skills and to gain knowledge about current topics. I chose debate because it was very welcoming and I always liked public speaking as well as just debating others. And it helped to already be in the class,” she said.
Bay also stated what skills she had developed through being a part of this club.
“I am more able to collaborate with others and it helps me to come up with critical thinking,” she said.
The speech and debate club has meetings in Hachmeister’s room, and for regular practices they go to the same room where they usually have meetings.
