The Speech and Debate team at HSE, coached by faculty members Kristen Carwile and Robert Hinshaw, is busy preparing for their meet this upcoming Saturday in Lafayette. The team competes in a Speech meet this weekend, and two Debate meets on the weekends to follow.

As the Debate coach, Carwile works alongside Speech coach Hinshaw to educate and supervise the students throughout practices and meets. Through her role as a coach, Carwile continues to be amazed by the amount of time and commitment shown by the students. “It takes a lot of time,” Carwile said. “We don’t have a set practice schedule in the Spring because they meet as much as possible. I have kids in my classroom every day.”

Members of the Speech and Debate Team improve their confidence levels and public speaking throughout events such as impromptu speeches, Lincoln-Douglas debates, interpretive speeches, and public forum debates. Meets take place on Saturdays beginning in mid-October or early November.

Sophomore Ishaan Modi will be giving a persuasive oratory during the meet this Saturday. An oratory is a seven to ten minute memorized speech in which the speaker delivers an original, factual speech on their chosen subject.  Speech Team has helped him step out of his comfort zone and communicate ideas more clearly, though it does present some challenges. “The hardest part of Speech and Debate Team is the high competitiveness of the meets,” Modi said. “There are so many talented people in every event and it just gets so competitive.”

Many team members take Carwile’s Debate class at school, but taking the class is not necessary in order to be on the team. Carwile regards Speech and Debate as an “excellent club to be involved in,” especially if interested students would like to improve their speaking skills or boost their confidence. Story by Laura Stancato.

Photo contributed by @sam_huston on Instagram.