It’s funny how a classroom can become a second home.
When I first joined Veritas, I thought I was simply there to learn how to debate. I expected to leave with stronger arguments, better speeches, and a little more confidence at the podium.
Instead, I found a community.
Some of my favorite memories weren’t the speeches themselves, but everything in between, the late nights we spent refining cases, the laughter after rounds (and maybe even during,) the feedback received and even the assistance I gave myself. Veritas became a place where I discovered my voice and learned that growth is often found in the moments no one else sees. So for that, I thank you The Veritas Schools, thank you to the most wonderful people Brandon P. Fleming and Tameka Thomas, Ed.S. for building this foundation.
This summer, that journey brought me to the Harvard Debate Council Summer Workshops, where I had the privilege of learning as a member of Yellow Lab alongside brilliant students and incredible mentors. Every round, every lecture, and every conversation reminded me that the best debaters are never finished learning.
Veritas taught me far more than how to construct an argument. It taught me to think with intention, listen with empathy, lead with humility, and best of all it prepared me, for the competition called life, as Mr. Fleming says. It taught me that you don’t have to prove you’re the smartest person in the room, you just have to become someone who is always willing to grow.
As I graduate from this incredible program, my heart is full. Thank you to every instructor AND TA who challenged me, every mentor who believed in me, and every classmate who made this place feel like home. You have all left a mark on me that extends far beyond just debate.
