SAN JOSE, CALIF. — Here at Silver Creek High School, we have a wide variety of clubs, but none with the community the Speech Club has.

Speech is a sub-club of the Speech and Debate Club. Speech is known for being a club where students can learn to help find their voice, learn to speak, but most importantly, to socialize.

Its advisor, David Brodsky, accepted the position as Speech Advisor after many years of being the Game Advisor. He accepted it because he thought it looked fun and since Speech and Debate needed a new advisor, he took up the role, to be of service to his school and learn a new skill. While he said that “in the beginning of the year it was a little toxic” it grew to become “a great club where friends can get together” once they trimmed things out.

Next, we have our two Captains, Anvay Gupte and Katelynn Nguyen, both heavily praised by all the members around. Gupte joined the club two years ago, of the 2022-2023 school year in his freshman year. Gupte at first, said that he wasn’t very vocal and rather quiet. But his time in speech allowed him to speak with confidence.

Speech is more than a club to learn to speak. In Gupte’s case, it’s where he made most of his friends. My personal experience with Gupte is him being in my Math 3 class. I never knew he had this side of him, prior to joining Speech. But Gupte is an entertaining person to be with, even though he may not be too talkative, he won’t bore you with his gold of words. 

Nguyen on the other hand, joined the club last year, during the 2022-2023 school year in her freshman year. Gupte was the one who guided Nguyen, when she joined, more realistically, monitored her progress. She was an amazing addition to the club during my time there, rising from member to captain in only a year. Gupte said that he is “Proud of progress into the work she’s put in” and that there is “No one else I would rather be co-captain with.”

Among the members, James Evan is a long-time resident of the club, having joined the 2022-2023 school year in his freshman year as well. For James, he learned how to speak up from the club, and with the inviting community, how could he not? While his speaking skills prove rather mundane, there is no denying that speech wouldn’t be the same without him and his consistency.

Another member is Briana Vilchis, who joined last year, 2022-2023 during her sophomore year. She found out about the club from former English teacher, Adrian Caesar, who believed she had the potential to do well in the club. And do well she did. Vilchis has shown up to almost every meeting, and even when she isn’t giving a speech, her being in the room makes things much livelier.

In regard to the newer members, first we have Anonymous Speech Member #5, who joined this year. Anonymous Speech Member #5 heard about the club from a friend and decided to try it out. For them, this club has helped build their self-confidence and become the talkative person they are today. Even in their few months of this club, there is no denying that they have become a remarkable guest here.

Lastly, we have the two latest additions, barely joined a month ago, Chloe Kim and Krish Sehgal. These members joined together at the same time, as they were thinking about their future with the idea of college in mind. Being the newest members, they found the community to be an interesting environment, and more of a large friend group than a club. 

While speech is definitely more of a friend group than a club, they are brought together, whether it is to increase their self-esteem, or learn to speak up, or even to socialize. There is no denying that a club based on socializing is one of the best communities to make friends with. Though many of them will be leaving in a few years, the memories of their time with each other will never fade.