By Lindsay Newfeld

Being a member of Tempe Prep’s Speech and Debate team for four years has taught me two things: 1) Your voice is a huge part of what defines you, and 2) Keeping that voice bottled up inside is no way to live.

Everyone has opinions and ideas they are passionate about, and Speech and Debate has given me a platform from which to speak and to grow. When I attended my first debate tournament as a tiny freshman, I found myself surrounded by confident, strong individuals who could not only clearly express themselves to others, but also understand opposing viewpoints and have a valid discussion about their ideas. As I have progressed through this activity, I feel I have accepted my own voice and am now able to use it to express myself and fight for what I believe in.

Throughout my Speech and Debate career, I have competed in Lincoln-Douglas debate, Original Oratory, and Impromptu Speaking. I love each of these events for totally distinct and different reasons. Lincoln-Douglas debate is a one-on-one debate based on questions of morality and what societies “ought” to do. This event has taught me how to think logically and respond intelligently in the moment. I have also learned about numerous social issues and injustices and discovered new solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, such as income inequality and criminal justice.

For Original Oratory, I memorized a ten-minute speech I wrote myself on rape culture in America. This is something I am extremely passionate about and it was an amazing feeling to get feedback from judges about how impactful my speech was for them.

Lastly, Impromptu Speaking is an event in which each competitor is given three topics, chooses one, and then has two minutes to prepare a five-minute speech on that topic. This event has taught me how to think quickly on my feet, and is definitely my favorite of the three.

Now these events might sound terrifying to some or downright boring to others, but I truly believe Speech and Debate is one of the best extracurricular activities high school has to offer. I have gained so much confidence by competing and I am not afraid to speak my mind. I also wrote about half of my college essays on my experiences in Speech and Debate, and when it came time for college interviews I wasn’t nervous at all because I had faith in my ability to communicate well.

I am planning to attend law school after graduating from college and go on to become a lawyer, so Speech and Debate seems like an obvious choice for me. While it may not seem so obvious to someone interested in STEM, for instance, public speaking will pop up in your life at some point no matter what career path you choose.

Speech and Debate allowed me to find my own voice and has given me some of the best memories of my time in high school. It requires dedication, effort, and resilience. But like any activity, you get out of it what you put in.

I encourage any students who are interested in Speech and Debate to attend a meeting and find out more about it. Instead of allowing others to define me by my outward appearance, Speech and Debate pushed me to use my voice to define myself. And I think that is something that everyone should take advantage of.