Tasha’s Top 5: Reasons Students Should Try High School Speech (Or Any Public Speaking!)

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If you didn’t know it, I’m a high school speech coach. I started speech my sophomore year of high school weeks after I started at KBRX. I quickly learned that the two went hand in hand to develop my public speaking skills. As a coach now, I get to see students develop their own skills, and I truly believe public speaking is something every student should do in their life and here are five reasons why. 

 

5.Develop creativity

Creativity is a huge part of public speaking because you have to dig deep to speak to others. What works some times won’t work other times. There are so many types of events that there’s surely something for everyone. 

4.Confidence

I’ll be the first to tell you avoiding public speaking because you are “too afraid” does nothing for you. I always tell my speech kids how I could not perform in a round without getting sick first, and even today, listen to my first newscast each time I read the news on air. I STILL GET NERVOUS, and that’s okay! Eventually, the practice will pay off and what will be left is confidence that you can do it!

 

3.Taking Ownership

I could be the best writer in the world, but that doesn’t mean the way I present material will connect with the audience. The great thing about speech is that you have to take ownership for your work because your coaches can’t perform it for you. 

 

2.Understanding Not Everyone Will Like You

A hard pill to swallow, but regardless public speaking relies heavily on style. Unfortunately, you will come across those who just don’t like yours. In one round, a competitor could get placed first, first, fifth. Every speech kid has received a feedback sheet (aka ballot) that made absolutely no sense and all they wanted to do was burn it. We may never truly understand why, but what lesson we can take away from this is not everyone will like you, your materials, etc.. Learning this frustrating lesson as a part of speech helps participants take the lesson into life.  

 

1.It doesn’t go away

Just because you age and grow up, it doesn’t mean that you won’t have to public speak. No matter what you do, you will have to speak in front of someone whether it’s your boss, coworkers, or a meeting of some kind. Developing and practicing these skills as a youth will allow one to hone the skills in a low stakes situation.

 

It’s not too late, kids! Speech is just starting and there are plenty of other opportunities through school and activities such as 4-H to practice those public speaking skills.