SVUDL CEO Rolland Janairo began the evening by posing a question: how many in the room had a sense of what SVUDL does every day both inside and outside the classroom? He described how SVUDL brings Speech and Debate to the community, and asked three students to demonstrate their skills, underscoring the breadth and depth of Speech and Debate.

First came Greidys Sotelo, a senior at Andrew Hill High School, who competes in Policy Debate and Debate en Español. When Rolland asked her to address why the U.S. federal government should establish national health insurance similar to Brazil, she gave a powerful example of Debate en Español, followed in English. She warned that recent cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act could cost millions of Americans their coverage.

Up next was Dhyana Desai, a junior at Silver Creek High School, who recently made SVUDL history when she competed at the National Speech & Debate Association’s national championship tournament, after qualifying in the Program of Oral Interpretation Speech event. This event combines prose and drama to illustrate a theme, and Dhyana performed an excerpt from her piece titled, “Rejection Kills” - a dramatic piece about a woman who received a marriage proposal made in front of thousands in a sports venue. “This is for the woman who says no” she said in her closing statement to a spellbound audience.

Angeles Flor Jauregui, a senior at Latino College Preparatory Academy, illustrated the impact SVUDL makes during the school day with state-approved electives and Debate Centered Instruction, where teachers build debate into the curriculum. In her economics class, Angeles’ class was recently asked to determine which of the four basic types of economic systems is the most competitive. Angeles was tasked to defend the traditional market, demonstrating Speech and Debate skills under the pressure of speaking in front of the many guests of Words to the Wise. She noted how she had to think critically about the topic, become accustomed to advocating for stances she wouldn’t normally pick for herself, and how much deeper she learned about topics when facing questions and challenges from peers, in addition to her teachers.

These three students highlighted the opportunities afforded by Speech and Debate, and how both inside the classroom and after school, SVUDL students:

• Practice public speaking;

• Develop critical baselines of knowledge through rigorous research;

• Think nimbly on their toes and adjust their plans and arguments based on their audience; and

• Collaborate effectively with peers to explore ideas, ask questions, challenge each other, and grapple with topics that are critical to everyday civic life.

SVUDL is so grateful to these students for sharing their voices with the Words to the Wise audience!

Another highlight of Words to the Wise 2026 was the fireside chat with Mara Liasson, honored as SVUDL’s 2026 Speaker of the Year for both her journalism and advocacy for a free press and civic engagement. Lisa Van Dusen, a longtime SVUDL champion, interviewed her on stage and began with a question: when did Mara first realize her voice could have an impact?

Mara described growing up in a family that valued talking and listening. In fact, her mother spoke to her in the baby carriage as if she were an adult. Mara also credited her teachers who were critical yet supportive, and mentors who made her feel her ideas were worth hearing. “Mentors are important,” she said. “They lead to bravery. They told me that my ideas were worth listening to and when I often felt that I had said the wrong thing, they were there reminding me that there will be a next time to do it differently.”

She suggested that persuasion starts with listening. “Good arguments come from good thinkers, and the most persuasive people are the ones who make others feel understood before offering a different view.”

She urged everyone in the room to make the effort to establish and maintain a balanced news diet. “The issue is that many people consume news for affirmation, rather than information. When civic education is revived in K-12 schools, it should include media literacy. We need students to learn how to spot a reliable source, how to tell opinion from analysis, and how to recognize a conspiracy theory. AI has put misinformation on steroids.” She also passed along advice she attributed to President Obama: if you are tired of arguing with someone on the internet, consider having the conversation in person.

Mara said SVUDL is an integral part of renewing civic education and that students can bring back what has become a disappearing art in politics. Her advice for finding and using a voice? “Listen, read, and just get up and do it. If you have a fear of speaking in public, once you do it, you will be less scared the next time.”

“What gives me hope is the young people here tonight!” she said. She hopes to see more shared civic experiences and civic education in the future. “Let’s make voting a national holiday,” she urged. “What if more people entered adulthood with these civic skills? More people would listen and more would run for office. It would improve politics tremendously. We wouldn’t have a generation that is cynical. They would know they can make a difference and make things better,” she said.

Next, Andrew Gold, SVUDL Board Member and Chair Emeritus, took the stage to make the case for support for SVUDL’s fundraising goal. He opened with a photo of himself at 16 in front of a Dodge Dart Swinger. He started debating at 15, competed through high school and college, and later coached debate at Stanford University.

“Speech and Debate was the single most important part of my education,” he said. “It taught me how to research an issue deeply, distinguish a strong argument from a weak one, listen to someone I disagreed with, stand in front of a room, and make my case. But it gave me something even more important. It gave me confidence in my own voice.”

In 2026, SVUDL reached 22 high schools and over 3,500 students. Independent research has shown that participation in SVUDL programming is linked to higher GPAs and graduation rates, stronger executive functioning and leadership skills, and deeper civic engagement. Nearly 100 percent of participants go on to college. SVUDL delivers all of this for only $1,200 per student a year.

Finally, it was time for paddle-raising. Franco Finn, Hypeman and Host for the San Francisco 49ers and the Golden State Warriors, kept the energy high as auctioneer. A shy child, Franco found his voice through Speech and Debate at Sacred Heart High School. He wrote a student body president speech that won the election. Inspired by the content of the evening, and catalyzed by Franco’s animated voice, guests exceeded the $430,000 goal to close the opportunity gap for under-resourced high school students in Silicon Valley so that more students can find their authentic voices and, in Mara’s words, just get up and do it.

This extraordinary evening was made possible because of our community. SVUDL thanks:

• Our hosts, Michael and Jill Gold

• SVUDL Co-Founders Jennie Savage and John Dawson

• Our Board of Directors and Advisory Committee members

• Our staff and volunteers

• Our Speaker of the Year, Mara Liasson, and our moderator, Lisa Van Dusen

• Franco Finn

• Musicians of the San Francisco Opera

• Our sponsors, listed below: