Our Story
Voices First began with a simple idea: if debate could change lives in our community, why shouldn't every student have the same chance?
After founding a middle school debate team at Walpole, we saw just how powerful it was to watch students grow into confident, articulate, and passionate advocates. We realized that what we built at one school could be the start of something bigger.
Debate taught us to think critically, speak boldly, and understand perspectives different from our own. It helped us find our voices, something we will carry for our entire life. And yet, we knew that in many schools across Massachusetts, programs like these didn't exist. Not because students weren't capable, but because no one had initiated them.
And Voices First was born: a student-led nonprofit committed to bringing speech and debate to middle schools & high schools across the country. We believe that when young people are given the tools to express themselves, they become more than just competitors; they become leaders, problem-solvers, and change-makers.
We're building a network where older students mentor younger ones, where chapters pop up in every town, and where every voice is heard, loud and clear. This is just the beginning. And we're putting Voices First.
