Roshan Patel is a senior at Jackson High School and a 4-year member of the speech and debate team in United States Extemporaneous Speaking.
United States Extemporaneous Speaking, often referred to as "U.S. Extemp," is a competitive category of speech and debate. In this event, competitors are asked to deliver a speech on a current political, economic, or social issue related specifically to the United States. The speech must be researched well, organized, and delivered with minimal preparation time.
In a U.S. Extemp round, competitors have the choice to pick from three questions related to current U.S. affairs and choose one to answer in a seven minute speech. Nobody is allowed to help the students with their research and speeches must be memorized and delivered. They have thirty minutes to prepare their speech using only the internet.
The topics in U.S. Extemp focus on current event issues such as the government shutdown, the 2026 election coming up, safety in large metropolitan cities, and the political divide in America.
U.S. Extemp teaches students lessons on communication and tests their knowledge of our countries' issues. Competitors structure their speeches using an introduction, three main points, and a conclusion. The judges look for delivery, organization, and the strength of your arguments.
What has helped me keep up with current events for U.S. Extemp has been to follow various news outlets. For example, I will watch CNN for the democratic views on an issue, but also watch FOX News for the conservative take on things. I also will engage in discussions with a host of people in my family and fellow teammates in order to heighten my expertise on a particular subject. Doing this allows me to have a good base to prepare from on tournament day.
In conclusion, U.S. Extemp is a category that allows competitors to quickly think in the moment and express their thoughts and opinions in an open and honest environment. This category has helped me become more of a focused communicator and pushed me to keep current with domestic issues that will impact my life.
Here is the winning U.S. Extemp speech from the 2022 National Speech and Debate Tournament: