About Us

I’ve always been an avid story reader. Speech and Debate turned me into a story teller. I started competing in Debate when I was 10, but I first realized how much speaking mattered outside of debate when I presented a science fair project in Middle School. I knew my project inside out, but I noticed the judges really started listening when I stopped reciting facts and started telling them a story — using an example, a personal experience, something they could picture. Their faces changed. That stuck with me: having a good idea isn’t enough — you have to make them want to listen to you. It’s not just WHAT you have to say, it is also HOW you say it.

The skills I learned through Speech & Debate started showing up everywhere — science fairs, interviews, school presentations, and even everyday conversations. I began sharing them with younger students at my school, spending over 200 hours coaching Middle Schoolers, and watching them discover the same benefits for themselves. At the same time, my friend Arnav and I kept coming back to the same question: what about students whose schools don’t offer Speech & Debate, or don’t teach public speaking at all? We decided to take the skills and experiences we had gained beyond our own school — into communities across South Florida.

Because you don’t have to be a debater to have a voice. You might be explaining a science project, interviewing for your first job or internship, running for student council, or convincing a room that your idea is worth trying. Speak2Achieve is about helping students turn “I have something to say” into “I know HOW to make people listen.” And we believe every student should get the chance to learn HOW.

I still remember what it felt like to be afraid to speak. Not because I didn’t have something to say, but because I was terrified that it wouldn’t be good enough. Over time, public speaking completely transformed my life. I learned that confidence isn’t something you’re born with but rather something you build by having the courage to speak.

And that’s what made me realize that I had been given an opportunity that so many students never get. Public speaking taught me how to communicate, how to lead, and most importantly, how to believe in my own voice. But these skills shouldn’t belong only to the students who happen to find debate, speech, or other opportunities on their own.

We started Speak2Achieve because we want every student to have that moment. The moment when they realize, “I can do this.” We want to create spaces where students can speak without shame, fail without fear, and lead without limits. Because sometimes, all someone needs to become more confident is for someone else to give them the opportunity to speak.