In Livingston: Omega Speech And Debate Holds 2024 Summer Camp

LIVINGSTON, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of Omega Speech and Debate. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

Omega Speech and Debate, a public speaking and debate academy for students in grades 4-12, offers programs tailored to students of all experience levels. Omega was founded in 2020 by Matthew Zhang, a Livingston High School alumnus who is now a sophomore at Harvard College. The academy held its 2024 Summer Camp from 8/12 to 8/23. The camp was led by a staff of Ivy League college students and LHS students with impressive debate resumes. In addition to Matthew, the staff included Daniel Zhang, Neel Sahni, Faizan Ghaznavi, Yitao Wang, Anvay Sur, Eli Solomon, and Shreya Saravanan etc.

Omega concluded its camp with a two-day mock debate tournament. The final championship round of this tournament was held on the afternoon of August 23rd. LHS students Michael Jiang and Ethan Zhang championed the open division of the tournament, while HMS students Brian Li and Sean Raison won the novice division. Omega also awarded Gold, Silver, and Bronze “Best Speaker” medals to three students in each of the camp’s six classes. The awardees are as follows: Kai Gao, Avni Dusad, Brooke Kalva, Sophie Hao, Leo Lvoff, Stevenson Tang, Devy Rajesh, Alex Huang, Kevin Rao, Vihan Chowdhury, Raeya Nandyala, Chris Wang, Pasco Mow, Penelope Lvoff, Saanvi Sethi, Rosie Wu, Dinnah Shebeen, Adair Curry, Daniel Goykhman.

During the closing ceremony, esteemed dignitaries addressed the Omega students, offering words of encouragement and inspiration. Assemblywoman Rosy Bagolie, Mayor Al Anthony, Council members Michael Viera and Ketan Bhuptani, and Board of Education member Parul Khemka were present, joining over 100 students, coaches, and parents.

Assemblywoman Rosy Bagolie expressed her excitement about the students choosing to spend their summer at Omega. "I listened to all of you speak, and you did it so eloquently. You defended your positions well and in a manner that was very respectful. Even though public speaking can be challenging, as I've experienced, it becomes easier with practice. Everywhere you go and in every field, you'll need to form opinions and express them. I'm very proud of you and grateful to have been invited here today."

Board of Education member Parul Khemka praised the program, saying, "Public speaking is essential, not just for debating. It's a skill that will benefit you in any field you choose. As a parent who has sent my kids here, I truly believe in Omega Speech and Debate. It was founded by an LHS alumnus, which makes me proud. Learning civil discourse is invaluable, especially in today's world, where it's easy to hide behind a keyboard. I hope to keep coming back and seeing all of you grow."

Mayor Al Anthony, reflecting on his career as an attorney, noted, "I wish I had this kind of program when I was young. The skills you're learning will translate wonderfully into many careers, including law. Effective communication is key in life, whether you're arguing in court, negotiating, or leading a community. I have the opportunity to represent the state of New Jersey against polluters, and the skills you're developing now will be invaluable in roles like these."

Councilman Michael Viera also shared his thoughts: "For all of you participating today, you're already far ahead of many people much older than you. Public speaking is crucial, especially for those who will become leaders and stand before audiences. I wish we had something like this when we were young; it would have helped us tremendously."

The event was a fitting end to a camp that not only honed students' speech and debate skills but also prepared them for future leadership roles.

This fall, Omega will continue to support the community with its debate programs. The travel team will guide students to participate in prestigious national debate tournaments, while in-person foundational courses in Public Forum debate will be offered for beginners and less experienced debaters. For more information about Omega Speech and Debate or to sign up for their upcoming fall debate programs, please visit their website: www.omegaspeechdebate.org.

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