Students put their research, critical-thinking, and public-speaking skills to the test Saturday as Cade Middle School and Victoria ISD Fine Arts hosted the Cade Middle School Speech Festival, marking the first debate Festival hosted by Victoria ISD Fine Arts and Cade Middle School.
The tournament brought together 250 students representing 10 schools from Houston, Harlingen, and Victoria, giving local students an opportunity to compete against speech and debate programs from across the state.
Participating schools included Alright Middle School, Alief Middle School, E.A. Olle Middle School, Gutierrez Middle School of Arts and Sciences, Memorial Middle School, O'Donnell Middle School, STEM Preparatory Academy, The Village Middle School, The Young Women's Leadership School and Howell Middle School.
Cade Middle School teacher Pedro Pardo organized the tournament after seeing continued interest in speech and debate among Victoria ISD students. Since beginning the program at Cade five years ago, Pardo has taken approximately 35 to 40 students to two tournaments each year. Hosting a tournament locally allowed more VISD students the opportunity to participate while competing alongside some of the state's established middle school speech and debate programs.
“I am so proud that Cade hosted this event,” Pardo said. “The work the students put into the Speech Festival was amazing, and they learned so much about the events held throughout the festival. The fact that Cade was able to host this special event was fantastic, and we look forward to hosting an even bigger festival next year.”
Through speech and debate, students develop skills that extend beyond competition, including critical thinking, public speaking, organization, improvisation and teamwork. Preparing for competition also requires students to meet deadlines, follow event rules, and dedicate time to preparation and practice. Those skills can also strengthen students' development as performers and support their participation in other Fine Arts programs, including One Act Play.
“We are incredibly grateful to Mr. Pedro Pardo for organizing the inaugural Cade Middle School Speech Festival,” said Elise Lopez, Director of Fine Arts. “This was a wonderful opportunity for our VISD students to compete and participate in events that promoted creativity and collaboration while strengthening their confidence and competitive spirit.”
The inaugural festival expands opportunities for Victoria ISD middle school students to participate in competitive speech and debate while bringing students from across Texas to Victoria. Cade Middle School and VISD Fine Arts hope to continue growing the tournament and welcome even more schools and competitors in future years.