In an age dominated by digital brevity, the art of oratory has suffered a quiet decline. Public speaking today is reduced to superficial soundbites or performative gestures devoid of substance. The eloquence that once stirred revolutions and shaped the course of history is absent from our classrooms, boardrooms, and public discourse. In neglecting oratory, we risk losing rhetorical beauty, critical thinking, persuasive clarity, and the moral weight of spoken conviction.
We believe that public speaking is a discipline to be shaped from the start. By training young minds to think clearly, speak with conviction, and listen with respect, we prepare them for the world.
Throughout history, the greatest minds in every field, from civil rights to science, politics to business, were brilliant public speakers. Their expertise over their ability to captivate the hearts of their audience by resonating with them on a personal level, just by putting their words in a more appealing manner is recognized as the biggest contributor to their success. Some examples are:
- Martin Luther King Jr:
With biblical cadence and moral gravity, King’s speeches like “I Have a Dream” moved millions and reshaped American civil rights through the sheer force of spoken conviction - Maya Angelou:
Her resonant voice, deliberate pacing, and poetic repetition made reading like “On the Pulse of Morning” into a performance of dignity and emotional power.
- Leonardo da Vinci:
Accounts from biographers praise his eloquence in court, where he used detailed verbal imagery to persuade rulers of his artistic and scientific visions.
- Steve Jobs:
Jobs turned product launches into theatrical experiences, using minimalist language, suspense, and emotional arcs to transform technical presentations into cultural events.
Various studies have shown the spikes in cognitive skills, better social interactions, and chances of success, primarily due to the involvement of students with public-speaking activities from a young age. Examples of a few recent studies include:
- +22% improvement in student self-confidence (Of school students who received public-speaking training (Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 2018)
- +44% increase in critical thinking scores after public speaking participation (National Speech & Debate Association, 2021)
- +50% more likely to take school leadership roles as compared to their peers when given early public speaking participation (Education Leadership Quarterly, 2019)
- +22% higher chance of getting into top universities (NSDA and Harvard College Admissions Analysis, 2020.)