What started as a summer project turned into one of the most exhausting, chaotic, and unexpectedly meaningful things we’ve ever done.

From personal growth to public advocacy, speech and debate shaped who I am. This is why I believe every student deserves that same chance, and what we’re doing to make it possible.

Co-teaching Advocacy and Leadership Through Speaking was an eye-opening experience. It marked the first new bootcamp offered by the Future Speakers Initiative since the summer. We were bringing with it a fresh curriculum, new activities, and, for me, a completely new challenge. I had no idea what to expect. Sure, I had taught Public Speaking and Presentation and Introduction to Debate before, even helping to design parts of those curriculums. And yes, I had learned the fundam

We’ve all been there: sitting through a speech that feels like it’s never going to end. The speaker drones on, slides click by, and...