The lights dim as West High’s speech and debate captain Ayleen Zavala (12) walks onstage with a binder in hand, giving an overview of an oral interpretation. Members of the speech and debate program highlighted their passion, bravery, and wit behind speaking into a microphone, whether it was in two-on-two debates, impromptu speeches, or oral interpretations.
Zavala’s speech highlighting the sexualization Latina women face in a masculine society was indeed one of the highlights of the showcase, reflecting on bravery. Sending a message focusing on the anguish a marginalized group experiences is a perfect example of leaping out of your comfort zone. It isn’t surprising that she had several concerns about delivering the speech, one of them being how she was “afraid that people wouldn’t understand the Latina and male perspectives.” Much to her delight, however, her piece resonated with the crowd, for they emphatically applauded after the end of her performance that incorporated the use of narration, as well as different voices and gestures to highlight the perspectives. Evidently, she effectively communicated how Latinas should feel empowered to overcome the treatment they face in our society and that this misogyny must end.
Another feature of the showcase that put the crowd in awe was captain Alissa Phillips’s (11) ingenious preparation for an impromptu speech. In the space of two minutes, she had to concoct a piece based on one of three outlandish ideas: rizz, gyatt, and huzz. Most people wouldn’t be able to imagine creating an oral presentation in such a short amount of time from brain rot. One of the strategies Phillips used to tackle this task was searching for a personal connection: “In the case of having a gyatt, I immediately think of a friend who’s always saying ‘oh my gosh, I want a gyatt!’” She has found that connecting with previous experiences and knowledge has been effective in devising a quick speech because it feels as if her thoughts are already planned.
Using these techniques, Phillips turned a trivial but silly topic into a rich, inspirational message. Relating “gyatt” to appearance and identity, Phillips emphasizes how one can become successful, regardless of their background and the injustices they face: “No matter what you’re born into, you can still persevere to reach the goals you want.” As empowerment was also the focus of her speech, she referenced several women in STEM, such as Tu Youyou, a Chinese scientist who had to overcome challenges in her career due to her background but still found a cure for malaria. As someone passionate about STEM, Phillips utilized Youyou as a figure that reinforces the purpose of her presentation. Incorporating an influential person in a speech demonstrates how examples of an idea can be within reach. Oftentimes, they are ones the speaker readily knows how to use, making for a powerful performance.
As its name suggests, the speech and debate showcase involved more than only two speeches. In a humorous and relatable two-on-two debate on whether the U.S should allocate funds to safeguard itself from alien invasions, captain Rugved Patil (12) expressed how the topic “deserved to be spoken about like an interesting thought experiment. As recent confusing political events had inspired the performance, he stated that “we tried to make it approachable because it’s important to empathize with the opponent and the audience in debates.” Furthermore, he mentioned that alluding to pop culture was another strategy he used to move the crowd: “By referencing things like Star Wars, you can draw parallels that help you gain a wide reach.” After days of intense zero-period and after-school practices, the audience’s frequent giggles and wonder at the performance was what Patil and his team had yearned for.
West High’s speech and debate showcase underscored the importance of using your voice to create an impact on society, whether it is to empower or entertain. The event encourages students to relinquish their fears when speaking in front of dozens of people – a major aspect of this program.
