By Ezra Caber & Danica Rivera

Acquiring the skill to speak confidently in front of a sizable audience can be a formidable challenge for many individuals, particularly students. Students commonly avoid public speaking due to their fear of embarrassment and judgment, not wanting to be the center of attention, social anxiety, or low self-esteem. In fact, public speaking is the number one phobia across the globe, with over 75 percent of people affected by it, according to the National Social Anxiety Center.

Although public speaking can be alarming to many, it is an advantageous and valuable skill that goes beyond presenting a slideshow or reading out loud to the class. However, many teachers do not offer comprehensive instruction in presentation skills, relying on rubrics to explain what students should do with body language or diction during presentations.

Fortunately, Granada Hills Charter (GHC) offers numerous academic teams that address public speaking, allowing students to further their communication proficiency and leadership capabilities. The school offers various academic teams that not only allow students to hone their public speaking skills but also compete against other schools on a diverse array of topics. Each team offers distinctive features that correlate with the different interests of GHC students, but all aim to improve public speaking.

As students navigate the challenges of public speaking within the environment of a team, they are not only preparing for successful academic and professional futures, but are also developing the confidence to express themselves articulately in any situation, within a classroom setting, and beyond.

Mock Trial

Students involved in Mock Trial engage in the reenactment of court cases, assuming roles such as attorneys and witnesses. At the beginning of each semester, the Mock Trial team is assigned a case that they must prepare for in anticipation of competitions. Mock Trial not only exposes students to the practical aspects of legal proceedings but also instills in them an understanding of the legal field.

Mock Trial competes in Constitutional Rights Foundation competitions with other schools in Los Angeles in the fall. In the spring, they compete in the International Mock Trial with schools from across the globe.

“Mock Trial is unique because we have to build a case against the other side through lines of questioning with other people instead of through yourself,” junior Kelly Chen said. “The goal is to increase our public speaking skills, and earn more experience in the field of law.”

Speech and Debate

Though frequently viewed as a unified entity, Speech and Debate are distinct teams that require different skills.

In Speech, students craft persuasive speeches, often forming personal connections with their chosen or assigned topics.
“Speech made me comfortable in my own skin and I learned to easily socialize with new people,” junior Savanna Kimball said.

On the Debate Team, students refine their argumentation in a competitive setting. Engaging in one-on-one competitions, debaters are evaluated by judges on the strength and content of their arguments.

“Academically, Debate has helped me in gathering research and formulating a clear case to make an argument,” Historian Mitch De Guzman said. “Especially in English, I can personally attest to argumentative essays becoming a second language, and socially, I’m much more confident when speaking since I’m able to gather my thoughts.”

As students navigate the challenges of public speaking within the environment of a team, they are not only preparing for successful academic and professional futures, but are also developing the confidence to express themselves articulately in any situation, within a classroom setting, and beyond.

Model United Nations

Model United Nations (MUN) stands out as one of the most popular public speaking teams at GHC. Students on this academic team immerse themselves in the affairs of an assigned country, working to address global issues pertinent to that nation in a simulated United Nations conference. The conferences feature speeches that can last from 30 seconds to a minute. Each student represents the assigned country in a committee with various topics such as women’s rights or child labor.

According to senior Jungmin Lee, a senior captain, MUN also encourages students to be more involved with global and political issues today.

“Joining MUN helped me grow more confidence, research better, and open my perspectives in public speaking,” Lee said.