Allyzah Allene Cabugao could not imagine her life without Speech and Debate. It brings her much joy to still be involved, but she also knows the fear of public speaking first hand. When she first joined Speech and Debate her freshman year of high school, she was terribly shy and had a strong case of stage fright. In 2011, she would have never imagined growing comfortable with public speaking. But throughout her high school competitive career, she found that the best way to overcome that fear was to find topics that she was passionate about and let that overpower any doubts. She believes that if you love what you’re talking about and love what you do enough, you can find the confidence to push aside your doubts and fears long enough to share your perspective with the world. In her high school years, Allyzah competed in Poetry, Prose, Dramatic Interpretation, Duo/Duet, and Original Oratory. She competed her sophomore year of college with the Lone Star College-North Harris team in Poetry, After Dinner Speaking, and Persuasion where she received various state and national awards. Allyzah graduated from LSC-NH and transferred to the University of Houston the following fall, where she is currently completing her Bachelors in Arts in Art Design with a Minor in Interpersonal Communications. While she is no longer competing, she has decided to stay involved with Speech and Debate by coaching. Her coaching experience includes a mix of speaking and acting events, from the middle school to the collegiate levels. Allyzah plans to teach at her alma mater Westfield High School upon completion of her Bachelors, and pursue a Masters in Communication Studies at Sam Houston State University in order to become a professor at LSC-NH soon thereafter.
Allyzah: “What we need most is for someone to believe in us and believe that our voice is important. Sometimes that person is yourself. Whether you find people who share your opinions or even if you feel like you’re one in a million, my hope for your Speech and Debate journey (and life in general) is that you realize that your voice matters. You never know when someone else needs to hear exactly what you’re going to say. Speech and Debate gave me a chance to find my voice, and I hope I can help you find yours.”