On every Thursday of the month in portable 57, a new kind of energy hums at Sierra Vista High School as students step up to speak, argue, and advocate for the topics they care about most. This year marks the debut of the Speech and Debate Club, launched by Ms. Freeman after noticing that many incoming freshmen who already participated in debate from their middle school programs the year before wanted to continue participating in debate. The club gives students a chance to explore their interests while also building confidence, meeting new people, and developing new skills, such as learning how to write about certain topics in an organized way.
The club requires students to research and write argumentative and expository articles about every topic they can think of. Through this work, students learn to evaluate information, interpret sources, and ask effective questions—especially in debates. Debate categories push students out of their comfort zones by requiring them to argue for or against an assigned issue. The topics usually involve issues around the government or societal issues, so students must be open to different opinions. Student skills grow as they become more comfortable with both speaking and listening.
Among the students who sparked the idea for the club, Deangelo Galicianao (9) played a key role, contributing valuable knowledge and experience. Galicianao’s involvement helped lay the groundwork for the club’s creation. Soon after, Abigail-Grace Gamboa (9) joined the club after watching speech and debate videos on TikTok and YouTube. Gamboa’s enthusiasm and self-motivation quickly made her the “voice” of the club. Together, Gamboa and Galicianao became the club’s ‘trailblazers’ and later took on leadership roles as president and treasurer, respectively.
As the club continued to grow, Lia Murrell (12) brought a strong presence to the team. As the only senior participant this year, she developed an impressive ability to captivate her audience. In September, Murrell delivered a speech on ‘resilience,’ earning praise and positive feedback for her delivery. With the debate season approaching, the club is finalizing which students will compete and in which events. Ms Freeman shares, “It may seem like a long process to get to the competition, but it is worth it. It takes commitment and dedication while understanding it is not easy, but the rewards are beneficial.” In theory, students can take on leadership roles after their first tournament once they are no longer considered novices. However, most students need more time before they feel ready to judge events, a key responsibility of leadership.
That first tournament exposes the student to most aspects of Speech/Debate. Ms. Freeman shares, “The main goals are to continue building interest in the club and exposing students to what Speech/Debate has to offer. Speech and Debate is not just speaking loudly or arguing endlessly—it is about mastering the fine art of choosing words that land, persuade, and occasionally zing. Every meeting is full of logic, timing, and phrasing, where a single well-placed turn of phrase can flip an entire argument on its head. It is a space where evidence gets highlighted, and punchlines sometimes sneak in disguised as analysis. After all, in this world of claims and counters, the sharpest tool is not the argument itself but the wordplay that delivers it.”
If students would like to join the club, they have to speak to Ms Freeman and understand the terms and conditions students have to follow. Students have to learn how to build confidence, be patient, learn how to write efficiently, and interpret sources. The Speech and Debate club is all about having fun and gaining a new experience while also learning new resources for writing.
