Over this past semester, the DGN Debate Club has been attempting to grow into a more prominent club at our school. Over this past school year, the leaders were Ava Kuether and Logan Beebe. Kuether and Beebe worked with Mr. Roethler to restart this club. They believe it is important to make sure your voice is heard, and that communication is an essential part of life.
In the beginning of second semester, the group met for the first time. I was a part of this, and very much enjoyed the first meeting. Debate Club is a great opportunity for students who aspire to have careers in the future that involve public speaking, critical thinking, and persuasive communication. Or honestly, it is a great club to join if you want to become more confident, challenge yourself, or talk to your peers in a unique way.
Debate Club meetings usually consist of interactive activities, such as one-on-one, or group debates. The meetings are not too long, and are usually before school, making the club easy for students to fit into their schedules.
During our last meeting of the year, Kuether and Beebe elected new leaders. These new leaders were me, Linnea Peckenpaugh, and another rising senior Rowan Hurd. Being chosen as leaders was very exciting because it gave us the opportunity to continue growing the club and encouraging more DGN students to join next fall.
In the future, Hurd wants to attend law school, and become a lawyer. Debate Club will help her gain more on-the-spot thinking skills, and as I stated earlier, persuasive communication.
Regarding myself, I want to go to school to become a social worker, possibly intertwined with something in the law field. Having the opportunity to be a leader of Debate Club will help me gain skills such as leadership, and solving difficult situations without the help of others.
Overall, Debate Club is a great opportunity for anyone interested in improving communication skills, building confidence, and meeting new people. It gives students a chance to express themselves in a positive environment while learning valuable life skills that most do not have enough opportunity to practice. This has led our generation to lack the skill of communication tremendously.
As the club continues to grow, I hope more students will consider joining, and taking advantage of the opportunities Debate Club has to offer.
