EA Welcomes New Florida Partner School
c/o Wildwood Middle High School
Eloquence Academy extends a formal welcome to Wildwood Middle High School!
Located in Wildwood, Florida, within the Sumter School District, Wildwood Middle High School is a Title 1 public school serving 764 students in grades 6 through 12. All students receive free lunch, and 85% are socioeconomically disadvantaged, qualifying for government aid programs like Medicaid or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Despite funding and performance metrics that place the school in the bottom 50% statewide in proficiency and academic testing, Wildwood boasts a strong record in extracurricular engagement, including athletics and academic competitions. Students are dedicated to the events they compete in and are always pushing each other to be the best versions of themselves.
c/o Eloquence Academy
This marks Wildwood’s fourth year operating a speech and debate program. In 2022, the school’s team took first place in a World Schools Debate team event sponsored by the North Florida Catholic Forensic League, and its students secured additional top finishes in categories such as Varsity Extemporaneous and Novice Declamation. Coach Iliana Miranda shared that Wildwood adopted the debate program with the aim to “share solid, researched ideas with their community and make the world a more united place.”
Our Debate-Inspired Classrooms program supports the funding or logistical needs of K-12, public, independent, magnet, charter, boarding, and homeschools in developing their own debate programs. Wildwood seeks to expand its program beyond Central Florida and compete nationally. Wildwood will receive access to copies of our flagship curriculum and tournament entry support. Later this year, we hope to issue a microgrant for Wildwood. Through the comprehensive support afforded by our program, Iliana aims to qualify and send 5-10 Wildwood students to the National Speech & Debate Tournament in June.
We are grateful to Iliana and excited to see what the future holds.
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Eloquence Academy, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and 509(a)(2) public charity dedicated to increasing equitable academic debate opportunities for rural and historically underserved students. The Academy offers debate classes, summer camps, workshops, tournaments, in-school programs, and online resources for 2,200+ students across 35 states and 15 countries. Ultimately, EA aims to prepare youth for college readiness, career engagement, and community impact through the transferable skills gained from debate. Follow EA on Instagram and YouTube at @eloquenceacademy.
