Sophomore Nixon Riddick launches Malibu High’s first speech and debate club

By Barbara Burke · Sat Oct 17 2026

Student-led team gives young Sharks a new opportunity to build public speaking and leadership skills, with its first competition set for Oct. 24

As Malibu High School students enjoy their impressive, newly-constructed state-of-the-art campus, parents and students continue to strive to augment extracurricular opportunities for pupils. 

A student-driven initiative — establishing MHS’s first speech and debate team

Supported by his parents, faculty advisor Erin Snodgrass, the school administration, the Parent Teacher Students Association, other students, and their parents, sophomore class president Nixon Riddick, 15, took the initiative to establish a speech and debate club at Malibu High School this year. Riddick was motivated to do so after he participated in a Ronald Reagan Debate Series tournament hosted by Oaks Christian High School. 

“I was motivated to create a speech and debate club at MHS because, although our school has a mock trial program, speech and debate offers students a different opportunity — to meticulously evaluate an opponent’s position by taking it down to the bare bones and analyzing all the merits of arguments on both sides of an issue, while also understanding and appreciating others’ points of view,” Riddick said. “I enjoy all aspects of speech and debate. My goal in participating in speech and debate is to develop leadership skills.” 

When asked what his favorite high school subjects are, Riddick responded that he enjoys both history and chemistry, illustrating his broad interests that no doubt will assist his debate preparations. As sophomore class president, Riddick also aims to increase class spirit and to possibly arrange a class trip. 

A new MHS extracurricular opportunity is established

To establish an extracurricular club at the school, a student needs to convince a faculty member to serve as the club’s advisor. English teacher Erin Snodgrass agreed. The team has also secured a debate team coach, UCLA freshman Aiden Buchanan, a debate tournament champion who is studying political science and aspires to become a professor. Ten students expressed interest in joining the debate club and two more will most likely join next semester after they complete their fall extracurriculars, according to Buchanan. 

The team enjoyed its kickoff event on Oct. 2 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. Students visited the Reagan Presidential Library and explored communication and leadership strategies inside its recreated Oval Office, an experience that provided them with a highly visual introduction to the skills they will develop through competitive speech and debate.

Both Riddick and Buchanan have high aspirations for the team and note that debate team participation will help Malibu students strengthen their public speaking, critical thinking, research, argumentation, and leadership skills.

The benefits of speech and debate teams in high schools

“I think I am the person I am today because of my participation in debate,” Buchanan said. “There are so many benefits from debate — one develops confidence, a passion for learning and one finds his voice. The skills that debating instills in students include an ability to be confident in expressing oneself, whether in social settings, academics or workplaces. Those are skills one uses for a lifetime.”

Wholeheartedly agreeing, Nixon’s mother, Liz Riddick, stated, “We need to create more opportunities for our kids at MHS, who are just as bright and intellectual as students in larger high schools.” She emphasized the community’s role in helping Malibu public school students benefit from as many extracurricular opportunities as possible, stating, “It’s important that all residents in Malibu support our student organizations. Readers interested in supporting the speech and debate club can donate to the Shark Fund, which supports such clubs as debate and mock trial as well as the arts, music and athletics programs at MHS.” To find out more about the Sharks Fund, readers can visit sharkfund90265.org.

Go Sharks!

“I'm thrilled to be the advisor for Malibu High School's new debate team! We are unbelievably lucky to have Aidan Buchanan as a coach teaching us the ropes. We all left our first meeting on Friday feeling a buzz of excitement about what the future might hold for this young but dedicated team.” Snodgrass said. “We have a brilliant crop of students — entirely made up of underclassmen at the moment — who are eager to learn the foundational skills of speech and debate, excited to compete in competitions across the region, and hungry to win!”

The team’s first competition is on Oct. 24 at Santa Clarita High School. “Our debate team plans to compete in nine tournaments this year,” Buchanan said. “We are working with the Reagan Foundation to explore the possibility for MHS to host a tournament in the spring. If we qualify, we will also compete in the state and national competitions as well.”  

Go Sharks!