Celeste Gomez

Senior Celeste Gomez has found speech to be a totally different atmosphere compared to anything she has ever experienced. She has found that joining Speech Team is one of the best decisions she’s ever made and is greatly appreciative that speech has pushed her out of her comfort zone. 

What events are you participating in during this speech season? What are those events like?

This year, I have participated in the events of Radio/Broadcasting, Declamation, and Informative. For Radio, there are many rounds to go through, which include speaking into a microphone for a five-minute newscast, a two-minute editorial, a two-minute on-the-spot, or even sometimes a thirty-minute prep time editorial round. Informative, which is my favorite, is a maximum of 10 minutes where you research a topic and present it in a way that intrigues the audience that consists of a judge and about six other competitors. Informative speeches also use props and visuals that help explain your piece. In Declamation, which is a reintroduced event this year, you take a speech that you believe should be heard, and you perform it as if it was yours, but you give credit to the original speaker, for a maximum of 10 minutes.

How many years have you been in speech? How have you changed throughout this time? 

This is my third year on the speech team, and I have definitely matured as a person and competitor. I finished my first speech season with about 129 points, and currently, I have 568 National Speech and Debate points.

How do you feel being in speech has affected you?

Joining speech has easily been one of the best decisions I have made because I have become a more well-spoken, confident, and ambitious person in all aspects of my life, which will greatly benefit me in anything I chose to achieve and pursue.

What is your favorite part of speech?

My favorite part of speech is that it has allowed me to be able to shed light on subjects of my culture that do not get the attention they deserve.

Nicholas Todd 

Aside from playing video games and working at a local pizza shop, Bruno’s, senior Nicholas Todd spends many hours researching and preparing for the next speech meet. Although discussion takes a lot of time and preparation, Todd finds a thrill in competing and continues to show up to every practice and meet

What events are you participating in during this speech season? What are those events like?

This season, I have participated in Discussion and Impromptu. Discussion is the event I’ve done the past two years. You discuss a topic with typically five other people and try to reach a consensus, whoever can get their point across the best wins the round. I like it because it plays like a game of chess.

How many years have you been in speech? How have you changed throughout this time? 

I’ve been in speech for two years. I’ve become a much better and more confident speaker, and I’ve also made some great memories with the team. I have 280 National Speech and Debate points.

How do you feel being in speech has affected you?

Speech is one of those skills you will use every day for the rest of your life, so I feel by making it better now, I’m setting myself up for success in the future. It’s also important to try new things, which was another reason I joined the speech team.

What is your favorite part of speech?

My favorite part of speech is getting to compete and the feeling of accomplishment after a speech meet. Some days, it can be very hard, but it’s those days you gotta keep going.