Nonprofit for speech and debate opens new Oklahoma chapter

A new nonprofit organization for speech and debate held its first meeting on Sunday at Hardesty Library.

Equality in Forensics is a high school-based organization with more than 23 national chapters and over 800 members. The new Oklahoma chapter is the most recent chapter on the books.

The vice president says they have about 20 high schoolers from about 10 schools including Jenks, Norman, Bartlesville and Bishop Kelly.

“When you kind of are a part of speech of debate, you help out every student, you give them an opportunity, and I think you definitely do a line of social work,” said George Shubitize.

He says speech and debate help students learn how to speak eloquently, listen reflectively and think critically.

Some of the community problems they addressed in the inaugural meeting were education and school funding.