Speech & Debate

“As a new student entering high-school at Hawken, I was expectedly nervous about how I would do in classes and if I would make new friends. Joining the speech and debate team ended up being the best decision I could have made. The caliber of the team quickly forced me to become more articulate and precise in my argumentation which soon translated into my essays, and my fears of finding friends were gone as the team turned from after-school extracurricular into a second family. The friends and memories I’ve made by being a part of the speech and debate team will almost certainly stick with me for a lifetime.​”
– Ozan Ergungor ‘17

“The Hawken Speech & Debate program afforded me opportunities not usually available to high school students. My time with the team was spent traveling around the country as I competed with some of the best and brightest high school students. The program also cultivated skills such as research, public speaking, and critical thinking that have practical value in the real world. I would highly recommend the team if you are looking for a fun and rewarding learning experience.” 
– Tim Perevozchikov ‘14

“My son's Speech & Debate experience taught him to speak more articulately and comfortably, even in front of large groups.  The skills that he learned will be useful throughout his life no matter what career path he chooses.  He learned about world events and made a lot of friends both inside and outside of Hawken School.  It was easily his favorite activity from his four years in high school.” 
– Bobbie Jacobson, Parent of Isaac ’16 and Eli ‘19

“I didn’t know it at the time, but my decision as a freshman to join the speech and debate team would be the defining moment of my high school career. From writing, to research, to speaking skills, being a member of the speech and debate team left me with a whole host of crucial skills that helped me both in high school and as I transition into college. But more importantly, my experiences on the team shaped me into the person I am today. Debate taught me to be confident, to be bold, and to feel comfortable speaking my mind. Debate also taught me to learn from my defeats, to recognize I’m not always going to be right, and to understand that (even in an event like debate) listening can be just important as speaking. Being a member of this team still means an incredible amount to me today, and I think that lasting connection is a testament to the value of speech and debate at Hawken.” 
– Will Mascaro ‘14

“Speech and Debate was the most family oriented program I have ever had the privilege of being involved in at Hawken. It defined a huge portion of my Hawken experience, socially and academically. I had a stellar coaching staff and incredibly intelligent teammates who were extremely dedicated to helping me with argument generation, research, and public speaking skills, but what I will remember most is how that shared dedication created a family dynamic for the team. I felt like I was completely and thoroughly involved with people who cared just as much about my success as I did, and who I could go to not only as a teammate, but also a best friend for advice. From red eye flights back from tournaments to late night practices to team dinners, I grew to love all of my teammates like best friends and will miss them immensely when I’m at college. Speech and debate is the best thing I have done so far with my 18-year-old self.” 
–Nicole Kastelic ‘16