Ranked in the top number 1% in the U.S and number one in Southern Calif., Carlsbad High’s speech and debate team is a group of dedicated students who strive to be the best. There are four categories: the dramatic/interpretation, prepared, spontaneous and the debates. Within these, there are 17 events such as Duo Interpretation, Expository, Impromptu, Parliamentary and many others. Each category has a specific event in which students can participate in at competitions.

For three consecutive weekends, Speech and Debate has spent large number of hours at State Qualifications in order to get a chance to compete at the State Championships in April. Each weekend they had different events in which they could participate in at the tournament. They had two to four people participate in finals.

“Something people don’t know about is that it isn’t just debate or persuasive speeches,” junior Elise Unger said. “It’s also acting events which many people are going in.”

About 35 students qualified to compete in the California Speech and Debate Championship, to be held April 15-17 in San Jose, California. For some, this will be their first time going to the championship, while others are returning to the event. This is one of their major events of the year for the team and they have been working hard to perform their best.   

“This year is my first year qualifying and I’m really nervous because its my first time going to States,” junior Melissa Kay said. “Speech and Debate has been amazing because it has made me a great public speaker and given me skills I never would have had before.”

The Speech and Debate team has been practicing every day after school and sometimes at lunch. Mrs. Curtis, the speech and debate coach, has been preparing her students in many ways, in order to help them perform their best at San Jose.

“I definitely feel ready because we’ve been practicing for our speech classes,” Unger said. “Our team members going are competing in 12 different speech events and five different debate events.”