Coach: Mrs. Evans
The Hereford Speech Club meets during enrichment on Wednesdays in room 104. The main activity of the Hereford Speech club is participating in Student Congress Competition and competing in oratorical contests sponsored by local and national service organizations. We are also working on expanding to competition in individual events. Wednesday tournaments follow the parliamentary procedure, and Saturday tournaments include extemporaneous speaking. Individual events include oral interpretation, oratory, and the Lincoln Douglas Debate. Also, the Speech Club enters speaking contests sponsored by service organizations for cash and other prizes.
The main idea of Student Congress is to have students learn about the type of parliamentary debate US Congress follows to create legislation that governs the country. It is similar to Mock Trial as it imitates the process of writing laws and arguing for and against passage of the laws, or resolutions to effect law.
A unique feature is that the students themselves run the entire Congress. They research issues, write the resolutions, present speeches for and against the legislation, question each other on details, and vote on passage or defeat of the resolutions. The also chose presiding officers who maintain order and rule on questions about procedure. The students a judged by 2-3 adults who observe their sessions and awards age given to the best presiding officer and the two bet speakers in each session.
In order to be good at Student Congress a student needs to keep up on current events or be willing to research the 5-8 issues to be debated at each congress. Students need to practice speaking techniques so that ideas are presented clearly and effectively. The also need to listen to other speakers and bring up questionable points or refute what others say.
This is a fun activity that even the busiest of students can take part in. We meet during enrichment and competitions are on Wednesday afternoon, about one a month. The core of the Student Congress members fit this into their busy schedules. It is a very realistic activity.
