️ Voices Rising: Young Debaters Step Into Leadership
️ The Southern University Laboratory School Speech & Debate Club officially launched its first meeting on October 28, welcoming eager 4th–8th grade students to an exciting season of learning, collaboration, and growth. Students quickly demonstrated tremendous school pride—especially during a lively activity where they practiced responding to claims such as “Southern Laboratory School sucks!”, “Homework should be banned,” and “Recess should belonger.”
Our proud Kittens delivered such strong rebuttals to “Southern Lab sucks!” that they left our debate coach, Ms. Kina Reed, momentarily speechless. Go, Kittens! These fun yet meaningful lessons are helping scholars build the skills they need to become effective public speakers, strong thinkers, and confident debaters.
This fall, club members are participating in six interactive sessions designed to build confidence, sharpen communication, and strengthen critical thinking. Each Tuesday session focuses on concept development and skill-building, while Saturday workshops offer extended opportunities for practice, teamwork, and performance. Every meeting concludes with a brief “Reflection Round,” giving students time to think deeply about what they’ve learned and how they’re growing as developing leaders and communicators.
So far, students have:
● Explored the foundations of debate, learning key terms such as resolution, affirmative, and negative, and establishing community agreements for respectful discussion.
● Practiced building strong arguments using the Toulmin Model through interactive games and group challenges
● Taken on affirmative and negative roles in mini-debates like “Homework should be banned,” gaining confidence in speaking from multiple perspectives.
As the semester continues, students will refine their debate cases, practice persuasive delivery, and receive peer and coach feedback during practice rounds.
The program will conclude with a Debate Showcase and Mini Tournament on Saturday, December 13, where students will demonstrate their new skills for family members, guests, and the greater Kitten Family. The celebration will include student performances, reflection, and light refreshments.
Special Thanks
The SULS community extends heartfelt thanks to Ms. Kina Reed and Mrs. Frankie Robertson, 2 club founders and co-leads, and Ms. Lakosha Pooler, faculty sponsor, for their dedication, energy, and commitment to empowering our young debaters.
The Speech & Debate Club is about more than arguments; it’s about thinking critically, listening respectfully, and speaking with confidence. We can’t wait to see our Kittens shine at the showcase!
