Why Debate? A Pathway to Success.

Debate can make all the difference.

In a world of rapid technological change, being able to speak eloquently, think critically, and communicate persuasively has never been more important.

Explore Boundless Learning Opportunities

Speech & Debate allows students to:

Identify and disprove misleading arguments
Research both sides of important topics like international relations, economics, and philosophy
Win over audiences, crowds, and interviewers
Connect and exchange ideas with students from around the world
Have fun learning through a unique and engaging game

Speech & Debate provides students with a platform to stand out from the crowd. Top schools like Harvard and Oxford invite competitors from around the world to showcase their skills. For international students, the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) is opening a groundbreaking opportunity. This year, the NSDA will provide a unique chance for students worldwide to qualify for the National Championship. This marks a historic first, allowing competitors from diverse backgrounds to test their abilities against over 140,000 peers in what is recognized as the world’s largest and most competitive academic tournament.

Book Your Free Diagnostic

Famous Debaters

Oprah Winfrey

Legendary Talk Show Host
Class of 1971 l East Nashville High School, Tennessee
"[Speech and Debate] gives you a sense of confidence in speaking in front of people, a sense of presence a sense of pride. It's the power of words to influence ideas, to uncover higher truth, to change minds, and for a lot of people, even change lives."

Samuel Alito

US Supreme Court Justice
Class of 1968 l Trenton Hamilton East High School, New Jersey
"The skills developed through competitive debate are not limited to helping a legal career: top notch research skills, quick analytic thinking, and strong public speaking tools are needed to be successful in almost any profession."

Elinor Ostrom

Noble Prize Winner in Economics
Class of 1951 l Beverly Hills High School, California
"Learning debate was an important early impact on my ways of thinking. You are taught there are always two sides to a public policy question, and you have to learn a good argument for both sides as well as knowing how to critique both sides."