Speech & Debate

TKA Speech & Debate is a member of the National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) and competes with other Coast Forensic League (CFL) teams in the Bay Area.

TKA has teams that compete in all forms of debate, including Policy, Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum, and Parliamentary Debate as well as some Speech events.

For more information about the TKA program, contact the Team Coach, Taylor Choate: taylor.choate@tka.org.

Team Officers

Johnny Zhang, Grace Rao and Daniel Lee.

We train new members in argumentation, research, cross-examination, and delivery. Our goal is to help students become more persuasive, eloquent speakers and to sharpen their analytical and critical thinking skills.

Competitive Debate Team

Students in grades 7–12 are also invited to join TKA’s Academic Speech and Debate Team, which competes in tournaments through the National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA). Our team has proudly qualified for the California State Tournament, gaining recognition for excellence in performance, preparation, and sportsmanship.

Whether through class or competition, TKA’s Speech and Debate opportunities are designed to build confident communicators and thoughtful leaders.

Academic Courses

Students can enroll in junior high or high school Speech and Debate classes as part of their academic schedule. These courses provide foundational training in debate formats, speech delivery, and argumentation. Speak with your academic advisor to learn more.

Our Mission

Our mission is to empower students to develop critical thinking and reasoning, so that they can better evaluate the world around them, while also building the communication skills necessary to convey their thoughts clearly. TKASD competes in one of the most exceptional leagues in the United States, debating against outstanding speakers from Bellarmine, Archbishop Mitty, Gunn, and Leland. Through teamwork and collaboration, students strengthen their abilities to research, listen, question, defend, and persuade. The topics that are chosen each year also reflect current issues, making our students more well-informed and concerned citizens.

“Freedom is hammered out on the anvil of discussion, dissent, and debate.”
Hubert H. Humphrey

Our History

History of TKA Debate

The King’s Academy launched its Debate Program in 2013, competing in the Logos Forensics Association. After winning league champion in 2013, 2016, and 2018, the team wanted to debate at a higher level with diverse schools and joined the broader network of the National Speech & Debate Association. TKA also offers Junior High Debate and High School Public Speaking classes to spark interest and introduce students to the world of speech and debate.

Debate Events

Descriptions are taken from the official NSDA website.

Policy Debate is a two-on-two debate where an affirmative team proposes a plan and the negative team argues why that plan should not be adopted. The topic for policy debate changes annually, so debaters throughout the course of the year will debate the same topic.

Lincoln-Douglas Debate typically appeals to individuals who like to debate, but prefer a one-on-one format as opposed to a team or group setting. Additionally, individuals who enjoy LD like exploring questions of how society ought to be. Many people refer to LD Debate as a “values” debate, as questions of morality and justice are commonly examined.

Public Forum is the newest form of debate in the Association and looks at current event topics. As a team event, students who compete in PF need to be able to work well with a partner. Students who do PF must be prepared to debate in front of judges without any formal debate training. Additionally, PF is focused upon debating varying resolutions that change frequently, which exposes students to a variety of topics during a singular competitive season.

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