Fostering Debate Talent Academy is Nurturing Our Future Orators
Fostering Debate Talent (FDT) Academy is an environment in which ideas breathe, mingle, and evolve. Founded in 2016 by Frankie Cena, FDT works to create a thriving space, building foundations for public speech and debate. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, FDT Academy announced the launch of its first-ever nationwide virtual speaking competition in support of Food Banks Canada. The event is an effort to encourage the creation and promotion of positive activities for youth amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and to raise funds for Food Banks Canada in a time of crisis and need for so many Canadians. To learn more, please read our exclusive interview below with founder Frankie Cena.
Where are you based?
I am currently based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
As the founding director of Fostering Debate Talent Academy, can you tell us about your learning institution and the motivation behind its conception?
From a very young age, I always loved being on a stage. One of the ways I was able to perform was through public speaking and debating. I joined my high school speech and debate team and I spent five years competing. While we had a supportive teacher volunteer, we didn't have a dedicated coach. So after graduating, I decided to be a volunteer coach at my high school for the next five years. This was an incredible experience and also the foundation of Fostering Debate Talent Academy. I wanted to be able to provide speech and debate coaching to students who otherwise could not access it. Now, FDT has over 300 students and we work to create champions. We offer group and private lessons in public speaking and debating and our students compete around the world.
Fostering Debate Talent (FDT) Academy recently announced the launch of its first-ever nationwide free virtual speaking competition for students grades 4-12, in support of Food Banks Canada. Can you talk about this initiative?
As soon as quarantine began I instantly thought to myself, what can I do to keep public speaking and debating alive in quarantine? I wanted to keep students engaged, I wanted to offer scholarships, I wanted to donate to a worthy cause, basically I wanted to do it all! So along with converting our entire academy to an online platform, we also launched this contest which received nearly 200 entries from youth across the country. The topics are related to COVID-19, but they have a positive spin to keep everyone optimistic.
Photo by Noohra Photography
Photo by Noohra Photography
Why is it so important that we get our youth involved in public speaking now?
Public speaking is the most valuable life skill that a person can possess, always. We use it in day to day interactions, we use it in school, at work, for interviews, and the list goes on and on. I want youth across the country to have exposure to this life skill. This is why we decided to provide feedback to each student that entered. The confidence that public speaking has given me is something I will treasure for the rest of my life.
The FDT Academy competition assesses entrants on delivery, content, organization, and overall impression. In your opinion, what are some nuances that constitute a well-made and delivered speech?
I want to see, hear, and feel the passion in a speaker. So the delivery needs to be genuine and enthusiastic. When it comes to the content, I want to hear something unique. In grade 7, I wrote a speech about "The Perfect Job". I decided to focus my speech on my elementary school janitor. This helped me stand out from the crowd and now, as a coach, I encourage my students to write about unique subject matter and also to make the listener feel something.
Do you have any tips for individuals trying to expand their public speaking skills?
Practice! First in front of a mirror, then on camera, then in front of someone you trust, and eventually in front of a crowd. Everything in life can be practiced and improved upon — writing mini speeches and delivering them for your friends or family, just getting exposure really.
Throughout history we've seen debaters and speeches near or at prodigious levels such as John F. Kennedy's "Ich bin ein Berliner" or Lincoln's House Divided Speech. Do you have a favorite speech, writer, or historical debate? If so, what makes it special?
I can't say I have a favourite speech, but I do have two speakers that I really enjoy! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Greta Thunberg. I love these two so much because they are genuine and passionate. They have you clinging on their every word because they mean what they say and say what they mean. I could honestly listen to them all day and I think that's because they actually care about their subject matter.
Photo by Noohra Photography
Your two topics are Grades 4-7: The Heroes of COVID-19 and Grades 8-12: The World After Quarantine. What made you decide on these topics and were there any responses to them that really stood out to you?
I asked my instructors for help. They all suggested topics and we narrowed them down and voted. My main objective was putting a positive spin on COVID-19. These topics allow us to celebrate our heroes and to look forward to the future. I won't give too many spoilers, but one student wrote about how dating would change after quarantine and I felt that was a very unique angle to discuss!
Do you plan to do more of these in the future?
I hope so. I love contests. I actually started quarantine by running a singing contest called "Frankie's Idol" where I gave away over $3000 in prizes to tremendously talented singers on Instagram. FDT is also hosting a debate event in July which will welcome 70 teams from 27 nations virtually.
Are there other things you would like kids to be focusing on during this time?
Stay calm, stay focused, have fun, relax, work hard, pursue your passion. Everyone is going through a unique and one-of-a-kind quarantine experience. No two experiences are the same, so I want kids to do what feels right for them and, of course, to be safe and responsible.
What is your motto in life?
"Risk everything with no guarantee, that's sacrifice."
My motto in quarantine - "When life gives you lemons make lemonade"
To learn more about Fostering Debate Talent and Frankie Cena please follow them via the below links:
www.fdtacademy.com
Facebook: fosteringdebatetalent
Instagram: fdtacademy
www.frankiecena.com
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