To Ms. Nan debate was never just an extracurricular. Under her guidance, the debate team became something closer to a family of little politicians. Students who might once have hesitated to raise their hands learned to speak with clarity, challenge ideas and defend beliefs on topics they often were not familiar with before. Week after week, we practiced constructing arguments, rebuttals and articulating our thoughts with confidence. What began as an after-school activity slowly became something more powerful: an education in literacy, communication and intellectual courage.
Debate teaches students how to read the world carefully. Preparing for a round requires hours of research, close reading and analysis. Debaters must sift through dense articles, policy reports and academic studies, learning to separate credible evidence strong arguments from weak ones. This process builds a level of literacy that goes beyond simply understanding a text. Students learn to interrogate it. They ask who wrote it, what the author assumes and whether the evidence actually supports the claim. Over time, this habit of critical reading becomes second nature.
The literacy benefits of debate are not just anecdotal. Research shows that students who participate in debate make significant gains in reading skills and academic performance. According to education next, one study found that debate participation improves reading scores by roughly two-thirds of a typical year of learning for secondary school students. Debaters also demonstrate stronger performance in English language arts, particularly in areas that require critical thinking and analytical reasoning.
Debate also strengthens writing and argumentation. In order to persuade judges, students must organize complex ideas into coherent cases supported by evidence. They learn how to structure claims, anticipate counterarguments and respond under pressure. These skills mirror the core practices of strong academic writing. Instead of memorizing information, debaters learn how to construct knowledge through argument.
Perhaps most importantly, debate transforms how students communicate. Standing in front of a room and defending an argument forces young people to develop a sense of intellectual ownership over their ideas. They learn to speak with purpose, listen carefully and respond thoughtfully. These are the foundations of effective communication in nearly every field, from law and politics to business and media.
The long-term outcomes of debate participation suggest that these skills matter. Students involved in debate are more likely to graduate from high school and enroll in college than similar peers who do not participate. One analysis found that about 80 percent of debaters graduate high school within five years compared to 68 percent of non-debaters. College enrollment rates are also significantly higher among students who debate.
These results are especially striking for students who begin with lower reading proficiency. Debate appears to accelerate learning most dramatically for those who were previously struggling. In this way, the activity functions not just as enrichment but as an equalizer, helping students develop academic and intellectual skills that might otherwise take years to build.
In the end, debate is about more than winning rounds. It is a training ground for literacy and communication in the fullest sense of the word. Students leave with the ability to read critically, write persuasively and speak with confidence. The habits they develop at the podium follow them long after the final ballot is read. Whether they become lawyers, journalists, entrepreneurs or citizens engaged in public life, the skills forged in debate continue to shape how they think and how they express themselves.
About the author: Anjola Odukoya is a sophomore at Boston University studying Public Relations with minors in Business Administration and Management and International Relations. At BU, Anjola is currently an Opinion Editor at The Daily Free Press, the leading independent student-run newspaper, and a rising Managing Editor for the Spring ’26 semester. She graduated from Cedar Hill Prep School in Somerset, NJ, in 2020 and from Phillips Academy Andover in 2024. She is also a contributing writer for the Cedar Hill Prep Alumni blog.