It’s Easy to Feel Like You Belong
For Yerba Buena High School SVUDL student Jennifer Lam, competitive Speech and Debate has been more than an extracurricular activity. It has been a transformation.
"I've definitely become a stronger speaker through my experience with SVUDL," Jennifer reflects. "Competing at Speech tournaments has constantly pushed me outside of my comfort zone in the best way possible. When I'm doing Original Oratory, I learn about an issue that I care deeply about and equally important, SVUDL gives me the platform to make others care about it, too."
That growth didn't happen in isolation. Jennifer credits the competitive environment itself. "When I enter tournaments, I may be surrounded by people who are more skilled than I am, and there is so much to learn. Whether it's roadmapping a speech or presenting an argument in a unique way, I can learn from observing the strengths I see in others."
She also discovered something unexpected along the way: the sheer breadth of what Speech and Debate has to offer. "I was surprised by the diversity of events to enter. There are so many different styles to explore, and getting to try them was genuinely exciting."
Jennifer's journey with SVUDL began almost by chance. A friend's curiosity about the school's Speech and Debate club first enticed her to try it. "I kept going to more meetings and was introduced to World Schools Debate. Near the end of my sophomore year, my friends and I competed in our first SVUDL tournament as a World Schools team," she recalls.
Now, Jennifer sees her participation as part of something larger. "It's impossible to create a better world for everyone if we only listen to a small group of voices. There will always be something we fail to consider," she says. "When people from different backgrounds and lived experiences all contribute to a goal, you're able to create a world that's better for everyone."
But what she values most about SVUDL is the community that surrounds it. "Even outside of my own team, everyone I've met has been kind and supportive. At tournaments, it's easy to strike up a conversation with competitors from other schools — they're always offering encouragement. It's easy to feel like you belong."
