In just three short years, Laurel School has developed one of Northeast Ohio's leading Speech and Debate programs.  Starting with a bang in the 2004-2005 season, the Laurel Speech and Debate team now counts approximately 20% of Upper School students among its members.  Along the way, Laurel has earned two state championships, several qualifications to the prestigious National Forensic League National tournament, and many individual tournament championships and trophies.  In the 2006-2007 season, Laurel crowned NFL District champions / National qualifiers in Public Forum Debate and added a National qualifier in Original Oratory.  At the 2007 National tournament, Laurel's Public Forum debate team finished in the top 25 of nearly 270 teams entered!

Laurel's brief but prestigious tradition in Speech and Debate has included:

State Champion - 2005

Kailey Kawolics, Oratorical Interpretation

State Champion - 2006

Erin McCardle, Prose/Poetry Interpretation

NFL District Champions - 2007

Kristin Moore and Mitali Rakhit,

Public Forum Debate

NFL National Qualifiers

Erin McCardle, 2005,

Dramatic Interpretation

Kristin Moore and Mitali Rakhit, 2007,

Public Forum Debate

Jyotsna Ghosh, 2007,

Original Oratory

OHSSL Cleveland District Bro-Doc Team Award

Laurel School, 2004-2005

Laurel's success in Speech and Debate competition is only part of the story, however.  Laurel also offers a course in Forensics / Debate, which helps students develop skills in presentation and argumentation.  Many of Laurel's classes, from AP English to Engineering, incorporate debate into the course curriculum. In 2007, Summer at Laurel will include half-day workshops in interpretative speaking and debate.  Most important, though, is Laurel's commitment to each student's discovery and development of her own voice.  The Laurel Speech and Debate program plays a vital role in that mission.

To learn about Laurel students' greatest accomplishments in Speech and Debate, in the words of the students themselves, visit the Laurel Forensics Hall of Fame.