Students and alumni of Gabrielino High’s speech and debate program shared passionate, off-the-cuff testimonials about how the nationally acclaimed program has improved their lives leading up to National Speech and Debate Education Day on March 1.
National Speech and Debate Education Day was created by the National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) to recognize and celebrate the positive impact of speech and debate activities on students, schools, and communities.
Gabrielino High’s speech and debate team members urged each other to share stories of what they have learned in the program through the #WeAreGabSpeech challenge, in which students answered the question “Why do you care about speech?”
“I care about speech because it’s an outlet for my creativity and it helps me express myself,” ninth-grader Melanie Hsiang said in her video. “I have a lot of fun with it.”
Gabrielino’s speech and debate program challenges students to strengthen their public speaking and communication skills while addressing current national and global events in a highly competitive environment.
The program has garnered local, state and national accolades, including 21 consecutive Southern California Debate League Championships, nearly 100 Academic All-American team members, 19 individual state champions, three national champions and the Bruno E. Jacob Trophy, a lifetime achievement award from NSDA.
Visit Gabrielino High’s speech and debate page to learn more about the program.