Walking down the 1900 hallway after school during Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, you might hear a lot of passionate (and often loud) students debating whether or not the U.S. should ban single-use plastics, if the US’s current border policy is flawed, or if a wealth tax would help those in poverty. On the outside, it seems like all these students do is argue about improbable scenarios; but in reality, they are passionate about researching, evaluating and presenting complex topics involving public policy, foreign relations and critical theories.
“I’ve learned more about how to think of real life issues in a more systematic way,” Varsity Captain Yao Liew explained.
Due to its relatively small size as a program, Lambert’s Speech and Debate is an extremely tight knit community. While debate is an inherently individualistic activity, Lambert’s team has found ways to collaborate to create the strongest competitors. They meet three times a week, and they work as a team to thoroughly research the given topics during practices.
“My favorite part about Speech and Debate is going to competitions together, researching together about real life topics and learning practical skills I’ll use later in life,” Varsity debater Jacky Kim said.
While entering the world of speech and debate at first may seem daunting, Lambert’s team has made it a safe space for members of any skill level.
“The club is very student led, with highly experienced captains guiding members and offering constructive feedback,” Sponsor and coach Ms. Smirnov, expressed.
The team has also developed in recent years to create a system of mentorship for new debaters to quickly go from novice to experienced debaters.
The existing members also hold a very open mindset for new members. They encourage even new beginners to compete and not worry about the outcome, because that is the best way to practice and garner experience.
“You won’t win at first, but you should be throwing yourself in the deep end,” President and Speech Captain Jayden Yu said.
Speech and debate equips students with valuable skills that will help them advance not just academically but also interpersonally. Members have stated that it has helped them articulate their thoughts more clearly and be able to express themselves better. Moving forward, the team is looking forward to dominating more competitions at the local, state and even national level. With every argument mastered and every speech delivered, these students are building more than debate skills—they’re building the confidence to lead and the courage to make their voices heard on any stage.
