Speech & Debate

Bellarmine Speech and Debate is recognized at both the state and national level as a highly-competitive program.  The largest co-curricular at the school with approximately 150 participants and seven coaches, Bellarmine has won seven consecutive state team championships (2005-2012) and has earned team excellence awards at the national level for the last four years. Additionally, Bellarmine was the only school to win the overall School of Excellence Award at the 2012 National Championships. These awards are most meaningful as a demonstration of Bellarmine's commitment to teaching students the essential life skills of listening, communication, research, writing, and organization.

The competitive calendar begins in September and ends in June, but most team members also prepare throughout the summer.  Students compete locally, throughout the state and/or throughout the country. In all cases, they keep in mind the broader goals of Bellarmine in general and of the team in particular.

Our Mission

• Develop an active listener - a student who will seek to understand all sides of an issue, whether world affairs or personal choices.
  
• Assist the student in becoming Intellectually Competent through extensive research on the subjects of his speeches, as well as through researching and argument of the debate topics.
  
• Apply our shared standards of the Grad at Grad, most notably a Love for Justice. Students will be able and willing to articulate what might be an unpopular opinion for those who have no voice and to communicate these concerns to a wide lay audience. As many choose to avoid this path, the student will most often become a leader in both this community and in any in which he finds himself.
  
• Help the student to come to see himself, first and foremost, as both a loving teammate and opponent, whose ultimate goal is to represent Bellarmine for the Greater Glory of God.