7th Annual National Speech and Debate Education Day Friday, March 3, 2023

DES MOINES, Iowa, March 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On February 14, 2023, a record-breaking 17 senators sponsored the Senate Resolution 61 which declares Friday, March 3, 2023, National Speech and Debate Education Day (NSDE Day)!

Thursday, March 2, 2023, Iowa State Representative and minority house leader, Jennifer Konfrst will read the resolution from the floor and will be joined by a group of local speech and debate students.

The National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) is a nonprofit that serves over 140k students, 4k coaches and educators, and 3k middle and high schools across the nation. Their mission is to connect, support, and inspire a diverse community committed to empowering students through competitive speech and debate.

Since 2016, the NSDA has worked with Senator Chuck Grassley to pass a senate resolution declaring the first Friday in March NSDE Day.

They have also worked with spokespeople and notable NSDA alumni like Josh Gad, Bradley Cooper, Elizabeth Warren, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and KOA to promote the activity and NSDE Day.

While in school, speech and debate education is proven to increase GPAs, attendance, reading scores, and self-esteem. Beyond the classroom, speech and debate education gives students the most in-demand 21st century skills of communication, critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration, making the lifelong impact of speech and debate education truly transformative.

"[Speech and debate] was an experience that I can say without hesitation was the one activity that best prepared me for future success in law and in life," said Ketanji Brown Jackson, Association Justice, U.S. Supreme Court.

Learn more about NSDE Day and how to start a speech and debate program in your area at www.speechanddebate.org/national-speech-debate-education-day.

About the National Speech & Debate Association
The National Speech & Debate Association is the largest interscholastic speech and debate organization serving middle school, high school, and collegiate students in the United States. The Association provides competitive speech and debate activities, high-quality resources, comprehensive training, scholarship opportunities, and advanced recognition to more than 140,000 students and coaches every year. For nearly 100 years, the National Speech & Debate Association has empowered more than 1.5 million members to become engaged citizens, skilled professionals, and honorable leaders in our society. For more information, visit www.speechanddebate.org

SOURCE National Speech & Debate Association