Making Their Case in Kuala Lumpur
Last month, 33 students from Shanghai American School Pudong and Puxi campuses headed to Kuala Lumpur to join schools from across the region for the South-East Asian Speech and Debate Tournament, hosted by the International School of Kuala Lumpur.
Over the course of several days, students competed in events ranging from Debate and Original Oratory to Oral Interpretation, Impromptu Speaking, Extemporaneous Speaking, and Solo and Duet Acting. The range of categories meant that one moment a student might be constructing a tight logical argument and the next delivering a dramatic performance. Public speaking, it turns out, has many personalities.
SAS students made their presence felt. Across both campuses, competitors earned numerous gold, silver, and bronze medals, including Best Individual Performance, Best Debate Speaker, Best Original Oratory, Best Solo Acting, and Best Debate Team, just to name a few. As a school, SAS Puxi placed second overall with SAS Pudong finishing third, a strong showing at the region’s premier speech and debate competition.
“Our forensics teams on both campuses really impressed this season,” said High School Teacher Robert Ogle. “We welcomed many new members, including freshmen stepping into roles left by graduating seniors, and even had a ninth grader reach the finals, which is almost unheard of. We are incredibly proud of what these teams have accomplished. Most importantly, we are watching our students grow in confidence as speakers and debaters.”
For Shiyn Yi W., a junior and winner of the gold in the Original Oratory category, the tournament offered a chance to explore a new side of public speaking. After several years competing in debate, she decided to step outside that format and enter the Original Oratory category. Her speech focused on a timely and surprisingly hopeful idea: approaching disagreement with curiosity rather than contempt.
The inspiration came from a moment she observed during a trip to Malaysia, where a group of men in a coffee shop were locked in a heated political debate. Despite the intensity of the discussion, they were willing to pause and reconsider their views when someone introduced new information. That moment stayed with her. She used it to reflect on how disagreements unfold today, especially in a world shaped by social media algorithms and echo chambers that reward certainty over curiosity.
“The beauty of this tournament,” she added, “is that it doesn’t just focus on one type of public speaking. It brings together so many forms and lets you experience them, whether you’re competing or just watching.”
In her speech, Shiyn Yi argued that wisdom rarely comes from winning arguments outright. Instead, it grows from asking questions, admitting uncertainty, and remaining open to learning from others. It is a simple shift in mindset, but one that can make even the most stubborn disagreements a little more productive.
Beyond the medals and trophies, students returned with something just as valuable: a new perspective. They watched powerful performances, exchanged ideas with peers from across the region, and tested their own voices in rooms full of talented speakers. This tournament is also a reminder that the goal of speech and debate is not simply to win an argument. Sometimes it is to ask better questions, listen a little more closely, and leave the room thinking differently than when you walked in.
