The evaluation I received from my camp counselor was nothing short of absolutely horrifying.

“Joy is very afraid of speaking in the rounds and gets emotional at the idea of having to debate or speak in front of people. She has expressed disinterest in the activity but it seems to stem from her lack of confidence talking in front of people. With prompting she is able to get through the rebuttal speeches.”

Those words from my first time at debate camp crushed me. Not a single acknowledgement. Not a single affirmation. Not a single indication of hope that I could ever improve.

When I got home from camp, I cried. Then, I begged my mom to quit the activity forever.

Now, after six years of competitive debate and countless exasperated moments where I was so sure I would give up on the activity for good, I’m grateful my mom told me no.

My love-hate relationship with speech and debate has provided me with some of the most enduring and meaningful experiences in high school, and I urge anyone who is looking into extracurricular investments that boasts returns for a lifetime to look into this invigorating activity.

From a literal perspective, debate fosters debate skills. And no, that doesn’t just mean that you win more minor family squabbles.

Debaters are often forced to immediately understand complex arguments and immediately break them down, training muscles in the brain that high school core classes often don’t. These skills translate to school, work and beyond.

“How do I adapt my speaking to persuade the judge at the back of the room?” becomes “How can I make my speaking personable to my interviewer?”

“Can I affirm and negate this topic?” becomes “Can I empathize with those who hold different beliefs?”

“Do I have the confidence to stand up and speak in front of all these people?” becomes “I can communicate and defend my thoughts and opinions effectively to a multitude of audiences.”

Getting there isn’t easy.

In the first years of my debate career, every upcoming tournament on my calendar was a sinister reminder of my own incompetence. “I’m not prepared. I can’t do this.” Over and over again. I’ve spent too much time researching until the last page of Google, stressing over tournament day and mulling over judge feedback.

But the entire process — from the excruciatingly lengthy preparation to the moments right before speaking when all eyes are on you — cultivates valuable experience in areas like public speaking, quick out-of-the-box thinking and stress management.

Don’t just take it from me.

“Competitive urban debate is almost uniquely suited to building what’s been called the ‘Four C’s’ of 21st century skills — critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity,” said Arne Duncan, former Secretary of Education. “And to that list I might add a fifth ‘C’ — for civic awareness and engagement. To succeed in debate, you also have to be a creative thinker. You have to spot the gaps that other people don’t see — and then fill in those gaps.”

In the same way as how communication and creativity underpin our society, the speech and debate impact never stops.

The immediate benefits are clear. According to the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues, debate participation is linked to a 0.66 higher GPA, 58 point higher SAT Math score and a 57 point higher SAT Reading score, as well as greater likelihood of meeting college readiness benchmarks.

The rich rewards carry beyond graduation too. Alumni have gone on to become Congressional politicians, industry leaders in every field, best-selling authors, non-profit founders and so much more.

“As a senator, I use the skills I gained from high school speech and debate every day,” Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said. “We researched hard topics. I learned a lot about fighting for what you believe in, and most of all, it was about self discipline and never giving up. There is no better way for students to learn powerfully important skills and persistence, no matter what career path they ultimately choose.”

Speech and debate is a global breeding ground for change-makers and future leaders. I’m proud to say I debate against over 130,000 people across the world who are also pulling late nights, hitting dead ends, winning and losing to reach the summit.

However, that doesn’t mean the activity is perfect. I’ll be the first to admit that this fiercely competitive community can be both a blessing and a curse. It’s cutthroat and ridiculously competitive. I’ve met people who mock and exclude novice debaters; people who misinterpret, gatekeep and steal evidence; people who would literally do anything to win the ballot.

But that doesn’t mean the entire speech and debate community is corrupted. Most people show mutual respect as competitors running in the same marathon. You still find people applaud each other in between tight tournament schedules and competitors having productive discussions about community equity within rounds. Every speech and debate event rewards self-expression and encourages the kind of innovative advocacy that pioneers progress.

Last year, I had the privilege of competing at the 2023 National Speech and Debate National Tournament in Public Forum Debate. As I sat among over 6000 audience members in the auditorium housing the final rounds, I was moved. The glimmering fluorescent limelight captured skillful moments of empowerment, fragility and expression. Speeches surrounding pervasive issues ingrained into society. Debates over the ramifications of the latest global headlines. Students that could move mountains with their voice.

So just speak. Speech and debate has space for any discussion you want to have. Rally, petition and disrupt the space with whatever message you want others to hear from you.

Because this is the stage. The stage where high schoolers roleplay as policymakers to prevent a nuclear armageddon. The stage where young people share raw, unfiltered stories about structural injustices. The stage where you can make the rules.

Speech and debate can be your stage.