Speech & Debate
“Classes at Wilshire have helped me develop tremendously as a public speaker. Wilshire Academy offers a welcoming environment for all students, and I would highly recommend it!”
– Former High School Student
About
Robert Cannon is a passionate mentor and speaker with over 30 years of involvement in the forensics community. He has been part of Wilshire Academy’s Speech & Debate team for over 10 years, leading countless students to state and national championships. He is the creator of “Figure of Speech”, a podcast in which he sits down with members of the speech and debate community to discuss how forensics has impacted their lives.
Robert is a collegiate national champion in Informative Speaking and was inducted into the National Forensics Association’s Speech & Debate Hall of Fame. He is also a three-time Tennessee state champion and currently serves as the President of the Southern California Junior Forensics League, one of the largest elementary and middle school leagues in the country. Read more about Robert Cannon’s Wilshire Academy Speech & Debate team on ABC news.
Speech Program
Overview: Our Speech program offers a unique opportunity for students to develop communication and presentation skills in small groups while simultaneously strengthening their research abilities. By staying up to date on global affairs and delving into philosophical discussions, students can embrace their knowledge on each topic to present more confidently.
Smaller class sizes allow students to get constructive feedback and coaching from our instructors and peers, and by the end of these classes, students will gain a better understanding of how to research, write, and deliver speeches with more confidence.
Competitions: Speech students are encourages to enter and compete for the Wilshire Academy team. We send students to local, regional, and state-level tournaments that are single or multi-day, and these trips/experiences are great opportunities to bond with fellow peers and win awards! Schedules and availability for virtual and in-person tournaments vary from season to season. Please contact us for the most recent updates regarding entering speech competitions.
Classes Offered: Wilshire Academy offers both private 1-on-1 and group classes for students of all grades, either virtually or in-person. We also offer coaching for college students and adults who may want to improve their communication skills for interviews and presentations or simply build confidence in their daily speaking.
Debate Program
Overview: Wilshire Academy has a growing team of debaters with experience across public forum, congressional, Lincoln-Douglas, and Model United Nations. We welcome both beginners that are not on their school teams as well as experienced debaters with competition experience.
The Wilshire Academy debate team is proud to have supported many young students over the last couple decades who began at the novice level and have advanced to become nationally-ranked debaters. Students have formed incredible bonds with debate partners from different schools through Wilshire Academy, giving them a chance to compete in pairs for team categories.
Competitions: Our debate program allows students to compete locally, regionally, and nationally. These tournaments typically span multiple days and are a great way to meet other champion debaters across the country. Students can compete individually as independent entries or as part of the Wilshire Academy team. Spots for tournaments are available on a rolling basis, and competition schedules vary from season to season.
Classes Offered: Wilshire Academy offers both private 1-on-1 and group classes for students of all grades, either virtually or in-person. For beginners and younger students, we generally recommend starting with our Speech program to get comfortable with public speaking and be introduced to the various styles of competitive speech and debate. Robert Cannon, Wilshire Academy’s Director of Speech and Debate, holds many years of experience and is a nationally recognized public speaker.
