What is Speech and Debate?The Speech and Debate program is an after-school, co-curricular activity that provides opportunities for acting, arguing, writing, traveling across the country, and being part of a team. The program builds the communication, critical reading, research, critical thinking, persuasion, leadership, teamwork, and presentation skills of all members. Members can compete against other high school students in local, regional, or national tournaments to exercise those skills. Students find broad application of the skills honed by speech and debate both in and beyond the classroom. The program also provides opportunities for community service relevant to the speech and debate community.
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Why Presentation?The Presentation Speech & Debate program is part of the Coast Forensic League, the most competitive district in California and second most competitive district in the country. Students become members of the National Speech and Debate Association’s honor society (National Forensic League), one of the oldest and most prestigious national academic organizations for high school students. All members are eligible to compete in local, state, and national level competitions. Over the past ten years PHS S&D has established itself as one of the most competitively successful programs in the nation - multiple students have won national tournaments and the program is regularly recognized as among the top 5% in the country. |