COMMUNITY
Dario Camara: Actions Speak Louder Than Words by Megan Munce Service projects at local tournaments in Florida bring the advocacy element of speech and debate to life!
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peech and debate is centered around students utilizing their voices to amplify the stories of themselves and others, whether it be through critical argumentation in debate or bringing relevant themes to life in speech. In the South Florida Catholic Forensic League (SFCFL), this objective is taken a step further. Dario Camara, threediamond coach and director of speech and debate at Western High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, serves as president of the SFCFL, which holds four invitationals throughout the year servicing the Dade and Broward County school districts. These tournaments not only offer students the opportunity to share their voices and the voices of others, but to serve their community in more tangible ways. Each invitational incorporates a cause—mostly decided by the students themselves, but occasionally aligned with national movements—for which students do direct service or provide support by fundraising. The first of the SFCFL’s serviceoriented invitationals, “Speaking for the Cure,” was inspired by Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. The first iteration of the tournament allowed students to swap out their suits for pink T-shirts that were sold for $10 each to benefit a foundation for breast cancer research. It has since expanded to include ribbons, bracelets, and even pink trophies.
Other invitationals have taken on other themes. “We’ve had a huge range of service projects that have been very meaningful to the community,” Dario explains, “including the Humane Society, where we had pet adoptions and awareness; Toys for Tots; supplies for veterans; awareness of concussions in sports, etc.” He adds, “We wanted to do something with the captive audiences we had weekly. Tournaments were gathering between 750 and 900 students and more than 200 adults every weekend. I thought, ‘What a great opportunity to get service projects a voice.’” Dario believes these service projects allow students to bring the advocacy element of speech and debate to life. “The mission was to give the service component of debate a voice and platform,” he says, “and eventually, to give a tangible end product to issues we advocate at tournaments every weekend.” Dario’s personal favorite has been an invitational known as “Helping Hands,” initiated by a student who attended one of SFCFL’s other service invitationals. The student was inspired to design his own invitational to help students with disabilities partake in speech and debate. “The project, which started about four years ago, was inspired by the ongoing goal of tying the tournaments with service,” Dario explains. “The whole project and mission was shaped right in the middle of a speech and debate tournament.”
“I am truly inspired by the students who are giving back.” — Dario Camara 50
ROSTRUM | APRIL/MAY 2018
As part of the project, students volunteered to be a “helping hand” for other students with physical or speech disabilities, allowing them to participate in the activity. Four years later, some of those same students with speech disabilities were invited to present at awards. “The student was inspired by our mission, created something meaningful, and changed lives,” Dario says. “It was a direct influence of the work we had done for years. Hopefully, the projects continue to inspire other projects and motivate other students to create new missions.” “I am truly inspired by the students who are giving back,” Dario concludes. “I want to make sure the adults are setting the example; therefore, our coaches and judges are also involved, either providing funds or spreading the message. Personally, I have made sure to always allow time for service and helping others. If not, our voices do not matter. Our voices are powerful, but our actions are even more so.” Megan Munce is a senior at Presentation High School in California. She currently serves as a publications intern for the NSDA.