Speech and Debate Competitions

Speech and debate competitions for middle and high school students provide opportunities to research real-world issues and to contemplate the answers to open-ended questions. These competitions improve critical thinking, communication skills, and self-confidence in the public arena.

There are several speech and/or debate organizations to consider. Even if your school does not sponsor these opportunities, their websites have great resources that can be implemented in the classroom or in family discussions.

• National Forensic League Debate and Speech Honor Society—This is the nation's oldest and largest debate and speech honor society.
• National Association for Urban Debate Leagues—This organization currently works with urban middle and high schools in school systems that have high percentages of people of color and low-income students. Urban Debate Leagues have proven to increase literacy scores, to improve grade-point averages, to increase high school graduation rates, and to produce high college matriculation rates.
• International Debate Education Association(IDEA)—IDEA develops, organizes, and promotes debate and debate-related activities in communities throughout the world.