Founder/President

Hey! My name is Samuel and I am currently a senior at St. Mark’s School of Texas. For many years, I have had an interest in public speaking and have sought to immerse myself in the activity as much as possible, competing and winning awards on the national level in Varsity Policy Debate as well as speaking at the Dallas City Council to advocate for climate justice. However, I noticed that these opportunities were not universal. Even at my own school, there are only a few oratorical competitions students can attend. I am fortunate to work with such a passionate, intelligent team. My goal is to spread awareness and build skills in a new generation of students who can inspire radical change by bringing their unique perspectives to the forefront of policy. My team and I seek to be the spring that ignites a global movement of powerful advocates.

Founder/President

Hi! I’m Arjun, and I am currently a senior at St. Mark’s School of Texas. From speaking at my grandpa’s 70th birthday to giving a TEDx Talk, I’ve been giving speeches for as long as I can remember. And I love it. But for many, it’s a daunting (some might even say horrifying) task. My team and I aim to remove the stigma behind public speaking and give voices to those without. Public speaking is such a valuable skill that’s rarely taught, and I plan to change that by spreading the power of public speaking to as many people as possible. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to work alongside Sam, Noah, and Nate.

President

Howdy! I’m Noah, a senior at St. Mark’s School of Texas. Public speaking is an activity that’s grown on me throughout the years — for a long time I was always afraid I would slip up horribly, but as I became more comfortable talking at camps and school events, I’ve learned to love speaking! I do speech and debate nowadays and love to constructively argue with other people. Public speaking is such an undervalued skill in modern society, so I’m glad to be a part of an organization that helps to spread information and awareness about the beauty of speaking. I’m glad I get to be a part of SPEAR!

Secretary

Hi! I’m Nate and I am currently a sophomore at St. Mark’s School of Texas. Ever since I was young, I have always been involved in various speech and debate activities. As early as first grade, I began giving speeches in the classrooms and in competitions. When I joined my middle school’s debate team, I fell in love with the art of effective communication and the power of acting listening. I am now a St. Mark’s policy debate team member and an avid speaker. I compete in both speech events and debate events, giving me a wide range of skills. I am proud to work with the SPEAR team to make our impact as widespread as possible.

Director of Outreach

Hey! I'm Azim Moosa, a rising sophomore at St. Mark's School of Texas, and I'm excited to be part of SPEAR. From a young age, I've loved public speaking, finding joy and comfort in addressing groups, from getting to speak in front of my religious community or competing as a novice debater for St. Mark's to more fun engagements like MCing pep rallies as Vice-President of Student Council at my previous school and participating as a Model UN delegate. Now as a part of SPEAR, I'm thrilled to contribute to a dynamic team dedicated to spreading the power of public speaking, inspiring advocacy, removing the stigma around this valuable skill, and igniting positive change through the art of public communication.