Empowering students
through speech
Developing Communication Skills
No matter a student’s planned career field, effective communication skills are crucial. Speech and debate prepares students for college, careers and life. The South Carolina Forensic Coaches Association believes that the skills learned through forensics — speech and debate — offer lifelong benefits to students.
The goal of the SCFCA is to provide the opportunities of speech and debate to as many students as possible. The association acts as a resource to member schools, recruits new member schools and helps coordinate and schedule state tournaments. We connect, support and inspire a diverse community committed to empowering students through competitive speech and debate.
Congratulations to the 2025 South Carolina District Qualifiers!
Students were named during the South Carolina District Tournament, held March 1 at Asheville High School.
The 2025 Original Oratory finalists.
Types of Competition
In South Carolina, there are basically two types of competition: individual events and debate. Students often choose to participate in one or the other, though there is no reason they cannot do both.
Individual events, or IE, is a type of speech competition characterized by individuals competing in a variety of different events. These events span the areas of public speaking, acting, reading and interpretation. Events include dramatic and humorous interpretation, program oral interpretation, original oratory, extemporaneous speaking, storytelling and novice reading.
Debate is a type of competition in which students debate pre-defined topics. In South Carolina, debate competition generally includes public forum debate, congressional debate and Lincoln-Douglas debate.
Speech and Debate Helps Students
Improve reading, listening, speaking and writing skills.
Develop critical-thinking skills and intellectual curiosity.
Excel academically and personally.
If your high school doesn’t have a speech program, we are here to help. Find out how your school can develop a program that inspires, educates and empowers students to become tomorrow’s leaders.
South Carolina Student Success at 2025 Nationals
A number of South Carolina students found success at the 2025 National Tournament, which was held in Des Moines, Iowa, during the third week of June.
Interpretation and Speech
In main events, the following students made breaks at the 2025 tournament:
Valeria De la Llave (senior, Riverside High School) was a quarterfinalist in humorous interpretation.
Anthony Fasuyi (senior, Eastside High School) was a quarterfinalist in original oratory.
Sash Sivaraman (junior, Riverside High School) was a quarterfinalist in extemporaneous speaking.
Enyo Toklo (junior, Riverside High School) was a quarterfinalist in original oratory.
Treesa Abraham (senior, Riverside High School) was an octafinalist in informative speaking.
Jeffrey Yu (senior, Riverside High School) was a octafinalist in extemporaneous speaking.
Debate/Congress
Kai Tucker (senior, Riverside High School) was a quarterfinalist in congressional debate.
South Carolina student Laurel Holley won the national championship in U.S. extemporaneous speaking in 2021.
Laurel, who attended Duke University, was a senior at Riverside High School in Greer.
