The Practice Space Blog

Nurturing Voices: Maribel and Cynthia’s Journey at Washington Elementary School

Hello to everyone in The Practice Space community! Maribel and Cynthia here. We’re excited to share a heartwarming story of how poetry, literacy, and public speaking came together to build a stronger, more vibrant community at Washington Elementary School. For six weeks, we had the privilege of working closely with two classes on a series […]

My Coaching Journey at King Elementary School

Hi there! This is Camila Uribe. I am a Richmond Promise Scholar and Assistant Coach at The Practice Space. In this blog post, I will share some stories, experiences, and reflections I’ve had while giving back to my community. — The kids at King Elementary, the site where I worked this summer, are a great […]

The Practice Space at Kennedy High School

We love working with local schools, especially when we get to do multiple programs! At Kennedy High School in Richmond, we just wrapped up three different youth voice initiatives in and out of the classroom, including a Debate Team, a Speech Club for newcomers, and a Speech and Debate curriculum for English Learners. Courage, competition, […]

Check out AnnMarie’s TED talk: Speak for Yourself

Our founder AnnMarie Baines delivered this TEDx Talk on March 16, 2023. Check out the talk and transcript below to hear her insightful about expressing yourself confidently and creating meaningful connections with your audience. Listen to the full talk here. Speak for Yourself TEDx Talk, March 16, 2023 AnnMarie Baines Have you ever looked around […]

Public Speaking Warm-Ups & Routines

Light-touch activities can help lower stress around public speaking over time and offer an entry point to young people who have typically felt silenced or have had challenges participating or thinking of what to say. While this list of warm-ups can be used in multiple ways to engage learners, we have categorized them by: Warm-ups […]

A Few Lessons From My Time at The Practice Space

During my time as Marketing Coordinator of The Practice Space, I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside a creative, passionate group of people while showcasing, and learning from the many inspiring members of our community. As I move into the next step of my career, I’m filled with gratitude for what I’ve learned in what […]
#WomenWeAdmire - Celebrating the Women That Inspire Us

#WomenWeAdmire – Celebrating the Women That Inspire Us

As part of our #WomenWeAdmire series for Women’s History Month, our team shared some of the women they admire the most in their lives.

An Ode to El Cerrito High Speech and Debate

I was in third grade when I first heard about speech and debate. I remember my teacher, Sally Woolsey, telling my mom about the amazing program at El Cerrito High School. As a quiet, reserved, 8-year old, debate sounded horrifying. For my mom, who had immigrated from the Philippines to California in her twenties, debate […]

Spring Programs at The Practice Space!

The Practice Space is kicking off our Spring programs on January 25, with after-school clubs for Youth Participants ages 8-16, and two online mini-courses for our Adult Participants! Most offerings are virtual and will be hosted via Zoom, with Middle School Speakers Club being hosted in-person*. Full-tuition scholarships for all programs are available based on […]

Frequently Asked Questions: Youth Voice Advocates Educator Cohort

Did you know that The Practice Space coaches both speakers and facilitators, including educators? Through personalized coaching and experiential workshops we provide educators opportunities to learn and practice how to facilitate youth voice in the classroom. With a focus on youth voice facilitation strategies such as debate and storytelling, we meet educators where they are […]

Youth Aloud Season 4: Behind the Scenes

Hello everyone. I’m Diana Medina, Program Director at The Practice Space. This post discusses the making of Season 4 of the Youth Aloud Podcast that was released on September 18, 2021. — Season 4 of Youth Aloud was the second season of our podcast that was created and released during the pandemic. For me as […]

Fall Public Speaking Programs at The Practice Space!

The Practice Space is kicking off our Fall programs on September 28 with online after-school clubs for youth ages 8-16, and a Public Speaking Practice Series for our adult participants! All offerings are virtual and will be hosted via Zoom. Full-tuition scholarships for all programs are available based on financial need. Learn more about the […]
Scroll to Top
Skip to content