Speech and Debate is a combination of public speaking, acting, and debating all in one sport. Here at ACP, we are proud to be one of three public middle schools in Arizona to have a competitive speech and debate team.  Speech and Debate is the only middle school sport recognized by the Arizona Interscholastic Association. 

There are three “tracks” that students can take: Speech, Oral Interpretation, and Debate. In Speech, competitors take pre-written speeches or create their own on the spot, then deliver these speeches in front of a judge. In the Oral Interpretation events, competitors take pieces of literature and perform them live in front of an audience. In Debate, students work as a team to support their arguments against another team from a different school.

Right: The ACP team at Nationals in Iowa (June 2024)!