Royal Palm Beach High Speech and Debate Team Placed in Prestigious National Club
Long after the 2:48 p.m. dismissal bell, and even after the athletes and other members of the student body have left campus via the activity bus or some other mode of transportation, it’s not uncommon to see Mr. Jeraci’s speech and debate students on campus until 9 p.m. preparing for an upcoming debate tournament.
Because of his students’ relentless pursuit of perfection, the National Forensic League has placed the speech and debate club in the prestigious 100 club. Organizations with this honor accrued at least 100 degrees last year, which is based on performance and membership, and only the top 10 percent of NFL chapters earn this distinction. Since the inception of the 100 club in 2007-2008 school year, Royal Palm Beach High School has achieved this honor four years in a row.
Mr. Jeraci said that he is very proud of his students. Although they often go against schools with more resources and coaches, he is thrilled at how his students have performed, exceeding expectations of the judges and even themselves in many cases. “Just to make it to the finals is a huge deal,” Jeraci said, who is only in his third year of teaching and coaching the team. “My students always strive to do their best.”
It’s a major sacrifice for both him and his students, but the plethora of awards and recognitions Mr. Jeraci has racked up over the years is proof positive that they have bought into his philosophy in doing whatever it takes to be a consummate orator.
“It’s repetition,” says senior Anthony Nadeau, who is the president of the Speech and Debate club. “You do it over and over again until it’s perfect. Well, it’s never perfect because there’s always something you can do better.”
Mr. Armas could not be more pleased. “We are very proud of Mr. Jeraci and our debate program. Our debate students are great examples of Royal Palm Beach High School students furthering the school’s vision of excellence.”
The National Forensic League was formed in 1925 to help high school and middle school students improve their speech and debate skills by focusing on the areas of critical thinking, listening and research. According to the NFL’s website, public figures and celebrities who were once NFL members in high school include Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen Breyer and Samuel Alito; actor Brad Pitt, actress Renee Zellweger and television personality Stephen Colbert.
For additional information, contact Jesus Armas, principal at (561) 753-4002 or via e-mail to jesus.armas@palmbeachschools.org.
###
Public Affairs Contact: Natalia Arenas – (561) 357-7662 – natalia.arenas@palmbeachschools.org
