speech & Debate team

The St. Luke Speech + Debate Team has a successful history of promoting public speaking in a fun, supportive way. Speech and debate teaches students to read, speak, and listen effectively.

It also empowers students with a wide range of social, academic and life skills:

Creativity: Speech and debate allows students to make artistic choices about how they bring words to life.
Persuasion: Students learn how to best convince an audience in the face of equally well-informed, persuasive competition.
Collaboration: Students work with teammates and coaches to craft stories, create arguments, build upon feedback to improve their performances.
Adaptability: Students learn to think on their feet and tailor a performance to a given audience.
Emotional Intelligence: Students learn to see both sides of an issue and to use appropriate strategies for questioning things they do not understand.
Research skills: Students learn how to use research tools to find information for their speeches or debates.

Speech + Debate Team members also meet Middle School teams from other schools in local competitions. These Tournaments are a terrific way to assess your progress through the school year.

We exchange ideas, learn techniques, and practice after school. Additional practice at home is an important key to success. We’ll also attend local high school tournaments to better understand how these events work and see example performances.

The Speech + Debate is open to all interested 6th, 7th and 8th graders. The cost is $50 for the year (Payments can be made at the school office or by arrangement with Jennifer Roben.)

Speech Team members meet on Wednesdays at 3:15 pm in Mrs. Conrow's Classroom Room #213.

Debate Team members meet on Thursdays at 3:15 pm in Mrs. Conrow's Classroom Room #213.

Each meeting lasts 60-75 minutes. Students can join both Speech + Debate (highly encouraged!).

Please note: The front office closes daily at 4pm. There will not be a staff member available to provide entry from the school lobby entrance. Pick up your student at the K-8 Extension in the auditorium.

For further information please contact:

Speech & Debate Team Coordinator:

Mr. Patrick Cousans, School Parent

speechteam@stlukeshoreline.org