When I walked into Period 1 Speech and Debate (S&D) in my junior year, I had no clue what to expect. Joining the team was one of those decisions that felt small at first, but ended up changing me in ways I never could’ve imagined.

Thank you, S&D for allowing me to hold myself with more confidence. It’s safe to say that standing in front of a room of 30 people and reciting a 10-minute-long speech eliminated my fear of people perceiving me weirdly. I used to want nothing more than to blend in—to avoid being noticed or judged. But to be successful in speech, you have to want to stand out—because if you aim to blend in, you’ll never win. I learned that other people’s perceptions of me don’t define who I am. 

Thank you, S&D for teaching me that it’s okay to be whimsical and nerdy. When finding a declamation speech or thinking of a topic to write your own speech about, the world is your oyster. The first time we did in-class speeches, I watched speeches ranging from talking about birds being robots to a monologue from a member’s favorite show. So, I learned to tap into the random, somewhat niche, and maybe eccentric topics that I wanted to explore, but never had an outlet to do so. It showed me that creativity doesn’t have to fit a mold—that the “random,” the “odd,” and the “eccentric” can be amazing. 

Thank you, S&D for giving me the opportunity to meet and build a community of amazing people who have changed my life for the better in so many ways. The time spent bonding in between rounds at tournaments, hanging out in the back room, and doing mock rounds during classes makes my time spent with this team so enjoyable. I appreciate all the help the seniors who graduated last year offered and Ms. Novak’s endlessly supportive attitude. And most importantly, thank you to my friends from S&D Period 1: Emerson, Rachel, Aiden, Kemal, and Ashley. Thank you for never making me feel judged, for letting me be myself, for teaching me to embrace my inner individuality, and for helping me along the way of discovering who I am—as both a speaker and as a person. 

So, in short, I will forever be grateful that I made the decision to join S&D. Thank you for teaching me to speak boldly, think freely, and be myself. I can’t wait to see what the future holds!