Pattonville Speech & Debate
  • Home
    • Calendar
  • Why Join?
    • NSDA Honor Society >
      • Annual Recognition
  • About Us
    • Gallery
  • Debate, Speech & Theatre
    • Debate >
      • Public Forum
      • Lincoln Douglas
      • Policy (CX)
      • Congress
    • Public Speaking
    • theatre
    • Resources
  • Our Tournament
  • Mock Trial

join the pattonville speech & debate family today!

why should you join speech & debate?


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Have fun & make friends. 
Pattonville Speech & Debate is a family. We support each other and everyone is welcome. 
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Find your voice.
No matter what issues you care about most, speech & debate will empower you and help you find your voice.

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"Debate means everything to me. It has been the source of great joy, friends, and wisdom for my 4 years. Room A214 is my home."
—Aaron Mansdoerfer, Class of 2016


​"To me, Speech & Debate means great memories with great people."
—Brittany Strasburger, Class of 2019

“I fell in love with debate. I formed friendships stronger than I ever had before, having found a niche that seemed to fit me just right.”
—Sam Riggs, Class of 2017

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​"Debate means family, and family means no one gets left behind!"
—Olivia Mercer, Class of 2018



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Raise test scores. 
Score higher on standardized tests, like the ACT and SAT.

Improve grades.
Reading, writing, & critical thinking skills help in all classes.
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Boost confidence. 
Enhance empathy, confidence, teamwork, & resilience — important skills for the future. 

Oprah Winfrey, John F. Kennedy, Bruce Springsteen, Jared Padalecki, Hillary Clinton, Chadwick Boseman. These famous people, and many more, got their start on their high school speech & debate teams.
​Are you next?

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what is speech & debate? 
Speech & Debate fosters critical thinking, self-confidence, ethical public speaking, and a passion for current social and political issues. Debater learn how to make a difference. Whether you are debating, giving an original oratory, or interpreting a funny play, you are finding your voice and presenting topics you care about.
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Take a class or join the after-school activity.
You may take Debate & Public Speaking in the fall semester to satisfy the oral communication requirement, learn the basics of speech and debate, and get your first taste of competition. You can then take Advanced College Credit Debate as an elective. You may also participate in speech and debate by joining the extra-curricular team, where you will be mentored after school by varsity teammates. You can be as involved as you want, competing in every tournament or only a few. We also host a tournament each December, attracting students from around the state.

Form lifelong friendships. Social bonding is a unique aspect of speech and debate. Because tournaments are on weekends, we spend spend time together collaborating, talking, playing games, and meeting students from other schools. Each year, we attend at least two out-of-town tournaments, and traveling as a team is a fun tradition that students look forward to all semester. Speech & Debate is a welcoming, diverse community — it is a home-away-from-home for all students.

how do I join the team?
Listen for announcements about informational meetings at the beginning of the year. Or, just drop by room A214 after school Monday through Thursday and talk to some team members. You can join at any time during the school year, but the earlier the better! Find an Executive Board member and tell them you'd like to know more. Submit a question through this website or send an email to the team. Or, talk to Ms. Raymond or Ms. Taylor any time. You are always welcome to stop by and see what it's all about. 

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  • Home
    • Calendar
  • Why Join?
    • NSDA Honor Society >
      • Annual Recognition
  • About Us
    • Gallery
  • Debate, Speech & Theatre
    • Debate >
      • Public Forum
      • Lincoln Douglas
      • Policy (CX)
      • Congress
    • Public Speaking
    • theatre
    • Resources
  • Our Tournament
  • Mock Trial