Speech and Debate is an academic activity available to McClintock students. Similar to athletic sports, speech, and debate activities are challenging, competitive in nature, and require regular practice, coaching, dedication, and hard work.

Speech involves a presentation by one, two, or sometimes a group of students that is judged against a similar type of presentation by others in a round of competition. Speech events range from limited preparation events that require extensive knowledge of current events to dramatic and humorous interpretation, which challenge students to find powerful moments in literature and recreate them for an audience.

Debate involves an individual or a team of debaters working to effectively convince a judge that his or her side of a resolution is, as a general principle, more valid. To see what our students are currently debating, visit the NSDA's Current Topics page. Students in debate come to thoroughly understand both sides of the resolution, having researched each extensively, and learning to think critically about every argument that could be made on each side.

Each event in speech and debate features a different form of public speaking and requires a unique skill set and talent. While students often develop a passion for specific events, many compete in multiple categories throughout the course of their academic careers.