Since my junior year of high school an activity has taken over my life.
Before I joined this activity I did not know where I was headed; I did not know what direction this journey would go. After the first day I knew I had found something I would enjoy. This activity gave me self confidence; this activity opened up doors to meet brilliant minds from around the country; this activity allows me to work with brilliant young minds who long for an intellectually challenging activity; this activity is the work I would do if I wasn't getting paid.
This activity is competitive speech and debate - otherwise known as forensics.
Speech and Debate is a popular student activity that spans middle school to graduate school. I imagine every state in our country has competitive speech and debate at some level. From August until June students are competing in a variety of individual speech events or team debate events. Then, all summer, students are attending camps to improve their skills for next season.
Students who participate are challenged to improve their critical thinking, public speaking, argumentation, and self-confidence. I can not think of a single student who I have worked with that have not gained something from the activity - especially those students who never won an award. This activity transforms minds into critical thinkers - the kind that are so needed in a democracy. Students who compete are almost always required to be current on the news and in the span of one year I have many students who have never read a newspaper subscribing to the economist and checking the new york times on a daily basis. They engage the world - they participate in the world.
This year I am finishing my 12th year involved in forensics. A local coach is retiring after more than 45 years as a competitor and coach. I definitely see myself headed in that direction. When I am coaching it does not feel like work - it feels like a good use of my time. While I need to get paid for my work to support my family I enjoy every second of working with students and trying to motivate them to succeed.
A high school teacher a long time ago made a comment that really stuck with me - he said "do what you love for work - if someone is out there doing that job there is no reason you can not do the same." It made a lot of sense to me then - there are people who get to coach debate for a living - why not me. That is one of the promises of the American dream and one I am thankful for.
I've been reading daily kos now for about a year and find it time well spent. Thanks for reading and I hope you all have found something you enjoy to do as well.