Canyon Crest Academy sophomore Samson “Sammy” Synn was recently named to the 2026-27 National Speech and Debate Association Student Leadership Council. Sammy is one of 26 students nationwide selected for their “passion for improving and expanding speech and debate”. He was one of three California representatives picked, the other two from private schools.
According to the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA), as a member of the youth-led council, Sammy will help develop resources, create content for NSDA’s magazine and social media, support student access and provide his unique perspective about the speech and debate experience.
Sammy’s experience with speech and debate goes back to the fifth grade. According to his bio, he credits speech and debate for “ helping him find his voice, engage in civil discourse, and advocate for others.”
He is the co-captain of CCA’s Speech and Debate team and specializes in policy debate, a two-on-two debate that focuses on a specific policy topic for the entire year. As a freshman, Sammy qualified for and debated in the 2025 NSDA National Tournament in Policy Debate, held in Des Moines, Iowa.
Before ever being elected to the NSDA Student Leadership Council, Sammy had already been dedicated to improving access to speech and debate, co-founding the San Diego Urban Debate League, focused on outreach and curriculum development.
At CCA, he is also a member of the Envision Conservatory for the Humanities, plays the guitar and is a writer working on publishing his first novel.
The CCA Speech and Debate team has been active on campus for over 10 years. The team has grown to be one of the largest academic teams in San Diego and it is the only National Circuit speech and debate team in the San Dieguito Union High School District, competing in tournaments across the country.