Whether it’s pouring your heart out into a prose piece, or pretending to be some guy trapped in a submarine, the Bullitt East Speech team provides a place to express ideas and creativity.
Speech came to Bullitt East in the summer of 2023, in between the East Team’s founder and captain Savannah Ballard’s eighth grade and freshman year. “Speech and Debate is an extracurricular activity where students compete in public speaking and debate events,” Ballard said, “focusing on skills like critical thinking, communication, and research.” Through speech you can participate in a variety of events, most of which involve impromptu prompts or research. Ballard competes in events like Prose, Impromptu and Program Oral Interpretation(POI). “Speech is an amazing opportunity for high school students! It helps students to find confidence in public speaking and communication.” Ballard said.
Speech is currently expanding on its original core group, which have pioneered the program at Bullitt East. It has opened doors for all of these new students, finding them unique interests, hobbies and creating a strong community. This includes Krissy Scott. Currently a junior in the BAMS program, Scott competes in events like storytelling, improvisational duo, and poetry. “If it wasn’t for the speech club, I wouldn’t have nearly the amount of confidence or dedication I have,” Scott said. This public speaking opportunity has changed the lives of the team. Now not only more confident, but more indulged in literary media, it has set them up for success, “Also, having Speech and Debate in your resume is a key factor for getting accepted into bigger name colleges,” Scott said.
If one thing is consistent it is Speech’s impacts on resumes, “…it look(s) great on a resume or college applications,” Ballard said. Speech expresses your public speaking, communication and leadership skills, as well as things like dedication and follow through. To colleges, if you don’t perform well, regardless, you performed, and that’s the important part. Most of Speech consists of searching for new pieces and putting them together—which on its own is daunting and intensive, but according to most competitors out there, incredibly rewarding, this skill of preparation and execution is often sought out by colleges.
At the end of the day, Speech is a fun place that makes a home for everyone who wants to join, even if it really isn’t your thing. “There are several people that I’ve seen go into it, who were not very literarily inclined, come out of it very excited to just pick up new books or look at different pieces of poetry,” Senior Nick LaRock said. “It’s also definitely a way to get around Kentucky more and socialize for people,” Competitions are spaced all around KY, in places like Lafayette, Bardstown, Lexington, and so many other places. “I know people from maybe 100 miles over in Kentucky that I would never talk to in regular circumstances,” LaRock said.
