Giving Youth A Voice

What a long, strange trip it's been ...

Today was National Speech & Debate Day, and as part of a grueling, long charter bus ride from Palm Beach County to Pensacola (extended by several hours due to the breaking down of our initial transportation), I had the opportunity to reflect on what this means in my life.

When I was attending Bloomfield Hills Lahser High School, we didn't have a debate program (or if we did, it certainly wasn't anything of note). We did, however, have a high school radio station, WBFH-FM, "The 10-Watt Big Shot," led by station manager Pete Bowers. In retrospect, there are many parallels between the two programs. Both are student-centric "real world" operations, involving critical thinking, writing, researching, public speaking, and other important skills young adults need to learn in order to function in life after graduation. Both involve veteran students working with newer students to learn the ropes. Both lead to long-lasting bonds of friendship and professional camaraderie. And while there were no educational radio competitions in the 1980s, there certainly is today, with broadcasting students competing in areas such as promotions, news casting, sports announcing, and other areas of radio, which again matches up with weekend debate tournaments (albeit, not nearly as often). The radio station was my home away from home for three years, and I remained in broadcasting through most of my college career as well.

(A shout out to Bill Keith and David Legg, high school radio teachers at programs in Plymouth-Canton and Novi, who I also hold in high regard.)

Fast forward to 2000, when I became a debate coach as part of my teaching duties at South Fork High School. The first coaches I worked with were Trish Zenczak, Angie Anyzeski, and the recently-retired Dale McCall. They helped me get my feet wet, as did Marna Weston and Daryl Hall. And after I came to Wellington in 2002, I was blessed with the chance to work with other amazing coaches, such as John Day and Jason Wysong, and debate parents such as Eilleen Dempsey and Holly Levine. All of these wonderful people, and so many more, have been a blessing in my life.

Now, the student has become the officer and the mentor, and I have had the opportunity to work with a plethora of coaches who have dedicated themselves to the world of Giving Youth A Voice. People like Shawna Dooner, Mierka Drucker, Steven Schappaugh, Kristen Taylor, Jenny Cook, Kristin Carbone, Traci Lowe, Eric Jeraci, Jennifer Kwasman, Fawn Tenenbaum, Megan West, Beth Eskin, Leah Carolan, Dario Camara, Carol Cecil, Christina Calaluca, Shari Dodd, Terri St John, Anna Hutcheson, Adam Jacobi, Bob Ickes, Jennifer Bell, and Peter Pober. Parents like Sue Ann McDaniel, Amy Yeackley, Lori Baumel, Michael Kennedy, Janell Leatherman, Kathy Hernicz, Karen Mangini, Ana Palomino, and Veneta Gilchrist (among so many others).

And of course, it's all about the students. Giving youth a voice in this unforgiving, tumultuous world. I am so very proud of what I, and we, have accomplished. Cynics see a world in despair. I look at my debate students, past and present, and see an amazing future ahead, one where positive change can and will take place. Together, we have, are, and will continue to #TransformTomorrow ... and that's a pretty cool thing, in my opinion.