Public Speaking

[kpenguin]

Well, with the start of the school year nearing, so too is the start of the of my second season of speech & debate!

Last year was filled with fun and excitement, despite my team being a bunch of... typical teenagers.:smallannoyed: I was seriously expecting to see some nerds and all I got were some overachievers. Still, an enjoyable year of arguing and yelling.

Last year, I did an expository speech (the kind with posters!) on superheroes. Although I didn't win anything, my defeats can be attributed to my nervousness than anything else. When I wasn't nervous, my fellow opponents complimented me on my energy and enthusiasm. Oh, and my comedy. Now, whenever I go to a tourney, I'm usually met with at least one guy (actually more likely to be a gal) who recognizes me as "the guy who did superheroes. You're speech was soooo good!"

As for debate, I only got the opportunity to try out LD debate (twice on the same topic!) and Student Congress. Oh, and Public Forum, but I don't really care about that one. Student Congress was most enjoyable out of the lot, I must say. Having specific policies to enact rather than vague debate topics made everything so much more focused.

Anyway, enough blathering. Are there any other playgrounders involved in public speaking/forensics/speech & debate?

[EvilElitest]

my school had no public speaking things, but i love it. I love speeches, debate, discussion, addresses, what ever it could be i love public address. When i have more time, i'll do my most infamous speech of all
from
EE

[kpenguin]

my school had no public speaking things, but i love it. I love speeches, debate, discussion, addresses, what ever it could be i love public address. When i have more time, i'll do my most infamous speech of all
from
EE

I guess I'm lucky. My school is the only one in the district that has a speech and debate program. Even then, we're not really supported by the school administration. We don't get any funding, so we have to do that all ourselves.

Damn sports:smallmad:

[The Extinguisher]

I'm not doing anything for school, but my job requires me a high level of public speaking skills. Getting up and talking in front a bunch of people I don't know has gotten much easier for me.

[EvilElitest]

I guess I'm lucky. My school is the only one in the district that has a speech and debate program. Even then, we're not really supported by the school administration. We don't get any funding, so we have to do that all ourselves.

Damn sports:smallmad:

yeah, they suck all the funds
from
EE

[AKA_Bait]

Ah, highschool. Yes, yes I did speech and debate. Mostly student congress, but I entered every category at least once (except expos actually, since they don't have that out on the east coast and I was always tripple entered on the california swing). Do they still run the Stanford and Berkeley tournaments out there? As a sophomore and junior I went out to those, did quite well (won congress at both as a junior).

I'll say this, the west coast circuit, at least back then, was always a breath of fresh air and far less cut-throat than the NY/Florida circuit. [/wistfulness]

[TheCountAlucard]

In my college English class, I did a speech on why the Eragon movie sucked. Coupled with five points of extra credit, I got higher than 100%.

Jus' sayin'.

[loopy]

Well, I am constantly called on for my public speaking skills, for some reason. Gave a talk on internet safety to 700 high school students the other day, it was well received, if the cheering and 30 or so girls who tackled me after had anything to say about it. (end boasting :smallwink:)

Oh and a few years ago... the World Leaders conference thing where I got to pretend to be President Truman and threaten to nuke everyone went over quite well. Got full marks for that assessment.

But then, I'm a high-CHA character who has skill focuses on bluff and diplomacy so he doesn't have to do anything productive...

[Shishnarfne]

I competed in a few Speech events in college, though not in high school... Mostly limited preparation events and public-address style events (as opposed to interpretation of literature).

I had a great deal of fun, learned that I came across as less nervous when I tried to be enthusiastic and energetic in my speeches. (Seriously, that change caused nearly all of my marks to improve drastically in the course of one event.)

But there just weren't that many schools with speech teams in that neck of the woods, so we had sizable drives to get to any event.

[loopy]

I competed in a few Speech events in college, though not in high school... Mostly limited preparation events and public-address style events (as opposed to interpretation of literature).

I always have a long time to prepare my talks... I usually do about a page of preparation, then start my talk, use about the first bullet point, then go off on tangents for the rest of the time allotted.

Seems to work for me though, God knows how.

[Totally Guy]

Just imagine everyone in their underwear.

Unless you're giving a speech to a nudist resort. Then...

Just imagine everyone in their underwear.

[kpenguin]

Ah, highschool. Yes, yes I did speech and debate. Mostly student congress, but I entered every category at least once (except expos actually, since they don't have that out on the east coast and I was always tripple entered on the california swing). Do they still run the Stanford and Berkeley tournaments out there? As a sophomore and junior I went out to those, did quite well (won congress at both as a junior).

They still run them, although nobody calls the Berkeley tournament that. We use the word "Cal" 'round here. I was planning to go the Stranford one, but there weren't enough people willing to go on my team, so my coach decided it wasn't worth the hassle to reserve hotel rooms and such.


I'll say this, the west coast circuit, at least back then, was always a breath of fresh air and far less cut-throat than the NY/Florida circuit. [/wistfulness]

I can't speak for the east coast, but I was surprised by the friendliness of my competitors the first time I had a tourney.

[Ichneumon]

I was the leader of my school's debating team two years ago. We almost won a contest, only the jury thought we were too young.... I also write a lot of speeches in my spare time.:smallbiggrin: