Speak Up NYC was born early in the spring of 2023. We recognized the need for what we like to call, “eloquence education.” While students all over NYC learn from a standardized curriculum of five core subjects, more often than not, these students do not have access to public speaking classes. Public speaking is an essential part of both a student’s academic and social life, which is why we decided to create a free program for elementary and middle schoolers to learn how to speak up for themselves.

Public speaking and debate have played integral roles in both our founders’ lives. However, unfortunately, not every student has the opportunity to join a debate team at school, even less so pay for debate classes outside of school. This is where Speak Up NYC comes in.

To accommodate all ages, we have three online courses for students to choose from. Our Pups Program is a way for younger students to simply begin learning about public speaking. The Cubs Program is the next step for students who have already been introduced to public speaking and debate but require more knowledge about the particular structures and types of debate. The Wolves Program is for our most experienced, and generally oldest, students who are ready to compete in debate tournaments.

More recently, we have launched monthly in-person sessions at the Queens Public Library. To learn more about this developing program, please email us at speakupnyc2023@gmail.com.

Regardless of a student’s particular program, whether it be virtual or in-person, Speak Up NYC teaches all of its students how to Speak Up, Stand Out, and Succeed. And that’s a SUNYC promise.