We are a small group of Speech and Debate coaches with a passion for helping kids learn how to communicate confidently and effectively.
We all know how it feels to be uncomfortable in a public speaking situation. We also know the importance of overcoming that feeling at an early age.
Most of us went through shy stages as children until we had that one teacher who impacted us in a way that propelled our self-confidence, encouraged us to participate in public speaking competitions, and even inspired us to seek careers in communications!
Whether it's having the courage to stand up and spell an unknown word in a spelling bee, write and/or deliver compelling lines from a play, craft an effective impromptu speech, or seal the deal in a debate tournament with a persuasive closing round... our goal is to BE that teacher for your child.
And we have a lot of fun in the process!
~Elizabeth Green
Founder, My Speech and Debate Coach
I’m a proud graduate of Marshall University with a BA in Broadcast Journalism. I started my career as a news reporter in WV and then SC where I would broadcast to hundreds of thousands of people about the daily happenings, many times truly impromptu due to not having enough time to gather info about breaking news, or system failures that made the teleprompter go blank.
That’s no small task, especially if you rewind to when I was a child and suffocatingly shy. Thankfully, I had that ONE teacher that made all the difference. Mrs. Day was a middle school English teacher and also coached the school’s forensics team. She saw something in me, and gave me the confidence to break out of my shell to compete and win many speaking competitions, and ultimately sent me on the path to a career in communications.
Our goal is to be that teacher for your child. The one that gives them the self-confidence to not only overcome the fear of public speaking, but to help them excel at it.
What I love about teaching is the fact that I completely feed off of their energy, and I love hearing their ideas. I’m always amazed at how aware they are when it comes to real-world issues and their innate goodness. I’ve had hundreds of students answer the question “If you won a million dollars” and only a handful said they would buy anything for themselves. And even those listed it last. They would donate a lot, buy a house for their family, help their parents not have to work, etc. I expected to hear about video games and vacations. But as usual, they amazed me.
About the Teacher:
I have an extensive history of building curriculum to teach speech and debate in both intensive speech and debate camp and classroom settings. Central to my curriculum is a focus on helping learners find their voices and helping them develop skills that allow them to hear and appreciate others’ voices. My classes are designed to meet learners where they are and develop their research, refutation, speech writing, speaking and overall rhetorical skills. I have coached and instructed speech and debate for more than 30 years with a variety of University, high school, & middle school programs around the country. In the last decade, I have coached 7 high school national finalists and 11 middle school national finalists. I have coached 5 high school national champions and 4 middle school national champions in my career.
Speech and debate has helped me to find my own voice and to assist others in cultivating their voices. Speech and debate has given me friendships that are some of my longest and most rewarding that I have.
Notable Awards:
I was a National Champion in Impromptu speaking in college and a National Runner-up in Extemporaneous speaking. I have judged more than 30 national final rounds at the collegiate, high school, and middle school levels. I have coached 5 high school and 4 middle school national champions.
Fun fact: I was a case manager for homeless and runaway teens for 15 years.
About the Teacher:
Speech and debate gave me a group of friends when I had few. For me, it was the light at the end of a tunnel. I love instilling confidence in my students; in my experience, students really shine after they feel true confidence. I am an Illinois native, who now travels a great deal. I have spent a year as a professional actor in Chicago. For many years I used my acting skills in the sales world.
Fun fact: I worked as an HVAC technician for a few years.
What I love about teaching is witnessing the moments of discovery in my students. I enjoy watching them master something they’ve been working on for a while. As a working actress, I had to get used to failure and rejection. However, I’ve learned that what you do during those moments is crucial to the success of your objective. Therefore, I encourage students to learn from their mistakes.
I have a masters degree in communication with an emphasis in education. I enjoy teaching different forms of communication. I have four years of competitive speech and debate experience. My speech journey started at Tallahassee Community College. I joined TCC’s Speech team for one year. After the success of my first year as a competitor I was recruited by Eastern Michigan University’s Speech team. There I went on to win several awards for my events. I currently teach several debate class for children. I’ve coached, judged, and taught debate for about two years.
FUN FACT: I have a turtle name vicious and a puppy named Bruno.
About the Teacher: I'm originally from Cleveland, Ohio, but I have lived in Scotland for the past four years while getting my degree in Philosophy. I started debating as a high school sophomore, and, as the only member of my small public school's team, I had to learn a lot on my own. I eventually worked my way up to finaling at my state tournament and competing at the U.S. National Tournament 3 times. I have been coaching for 5 years, and have been lucky enough to coach students that reached the semi-finals of the US National Tournament, the National Debate Team of the Czech Republic, the Edinburgh Debates Union, as well as many young students just starting their debate career. When I was a child, I was mostly voluntarily mute for several years. I rarely spoke, and didn't think anything I had to say would matter. Through speech and debate, I learned to value my voice and believe in the power it had. I now view my communication skills as one of my strongest assets. FUN FACT: Outside of debate, I love knitting, playing with my cat, Chickpea, and training martial arts. Plus, I used to sing opera!
About the Teacher: With years of experience in both teaching and competitive debate, I’ve had the privilege of guiding students to find their voices and develop critical thinking skills. I have a strong background in debate, not only in high school, but later in Biomedical Debate and Ethics Bowl during college. Every summer, I teach at a public speaking and debate camp, where I help students develop their communication skills and confidence. Throughout my college years I took on various tutoring roles and served as a teaching assistant, further honing my skills in education and mentorship. My goal is to create an engaging and supportive environment where students can learn to express their ideas clearly and confidently. Notable Awards: Top 20 in the country for Extemporaneous Debate -- NSDA Nationals, 2018 5th statewide in Ohio, Lincoln Douglas Debate, 2018 3 Time state qualifier in Lincoln Douglas Debate, 2016-2019, 2 times national qualifier for World Schools Debate (2016-2018)
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