Now in its 21st consecutive year, Durham Academy Speech & Debate is a nationally recognized, full-service program with a large variety of Speech & Debate events offered at both the Upper and Middle School.
Founded in 2005 by Jeff Welty, the DA Speech & Debate team initially focused on Congressional Debate, Extemporaneous Speaking, and Public Forum Debate. In the early 2010s, Robert Sheard was hired by Durham Academy to expand the program's scope and reach. In 2015, Crawford Leavoy was promoted to director of Speech & Debate and continued to expand the program. In 2023, Rachel Mauchline was hired as assistant director of Speech & Debate, a role in which she has is building the Middle School's first formal Speech & Debate program.
The team was chartered by the National Forensic League in 2009, and the program earned national recognition over the course of the following decade. From 2020 to 2023, DA Speech & Debate was listed in the top 100 chapters of the National Speech & Debate Association.
The Academic All American Award recognizes high school students who have earned the degree of Superior Distinction (750 points); completed at least five semesters of high school; demonstrated outstanding character and leadership; and earned a GPA of 3.7 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent).
2017 – 3rd Speaker – Public Forum Debate (Silver) – Hebron Daniel
2016 – Champion – International Public Forum Debate – Eilene Yang & Loften Deprez
2016 – Quarterfinalist – Extemporaneous Speaking – Collin Brown
2015 – Quarterfinalists – Public Forum Debate – Eilene Yang & Loften Deprez
2014 – Semifinalists – Public Forum Debate – Will Ruff & Justin Katz
2014 – Top Speaker – Public Forum Debate – Justin Katz
2009 – Quarterfinalists – Public Forum Debate – Grace Wallack & Dede Pless
2007 – 2nd Place – Public Forum Debate – Katherine Buse & Patrick Toomey
Looking back, Speech and Debate made me better in so many ways: I’m a better speaker, a better writer, a better researcher, a better teammate, and a better person. After hundreds of competitions and practices the first three become almost inevitable byproducts of participation, but the last two are (I think) the most important and least obvious.
Durham Academy Speech and Debate is home to some of the best people I’ve ever met, be they coaches, fellow students, or both. It’s full of brilliant, motivated, and kind individuals who are beyond passionate about what they do, and that rubs off on people.
